Scuderia Ferrari Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen reckons his penalty at the Belgian GP was “unnecessary” as Max Verstappen’s car did not pose a safety risk given that it was “half behind” the barriers. The Maranello team’s driver, running fourth at that moment of the race, was hit with a 10-second stop-go penalty by the Belgian stewards for failing to slow down for double waved yellow flags.
The flags were being waved for Max Verstappen’s stricken RB13 which broke down on lap 8 of the grand prix, forcing the Red Bull racer to pull over on the side of the track after which his car was pushed behind the barriers. In the end Kimi Raikkonen had to settle for fourth place, just behind the other Red Bull car of Daniel Ricciardo. Asked whether he felt the penalty was just, Kimi Raikkonen replied: “Not in my view but in the stewards view it was. The car was half behind the barriers on the straight. I don’t think there was anything dangerous, far from it. They feel they had to give me a penalty, this time it went in my direction and the next time in someone else. It is just one of things as sometimes it feels very unnecessary how they give penalties.” – the Finnish driver explained, as reported by the Italian media at the end of the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix.
Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place next week at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Kimi Raikkonen is fifth in the Formula One Standings, with 128 points, just behind Daniel Ricciardo (132.)
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