Kimi Raikkonen said his final attempt at a flying lap was ruined by his mistake at the second corner.
He admitted the error cost him a better grid position after qualifying fifth, four places behind team mate Sebastian Vettel.
It is the latest in a series of costly errors the Ferrari driver has made during the final phase of qualifying in recent races. He was on course to take pole position in Baku before baking a mistake at the final significant corner on the lap. Raikkonen also made a mistake at turn one in Q3 at the Spanish Grand Prix.Raikkonen said his car did not feel the same on his final run as it had on previous efforts.
“It was completely different from all other laps,” he said. “I got understeer going into turn two and just couldn’t keep it in the line.
“I knew at the point, at the corner entry, that it was going to be tricky, so I tried to keep the speed up, because the other option was just to lift off and that would be it, but unfortunately I could and I ran out of Tarmac.”
“Obviously the lap was finished there, at that point,” he added.
After Raikkonen backed off his lap and let several of his rivals through, Vettel tried to use his team mate’s tow to improve his straight-line speed on his final run.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Don't miss anything new from RaceFans
Follow RaceFans on social media:
2018 F1 season
- McLaren staff told us we were “totally crazy” to take Honda engines in 2018 – Tost
- ‘It doesn’t matter if we start last’: How Red Bull’s junior team aided Honda’s leap forward
- Honda’s jet division helped F1 engineers solve power unit problem
- McLaren Racing losses rise after Honda split
- Ricciardo: Baku “s***show” was Red Bull’s fault
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th June 2018, 23:43
Team orders again for Ferrari, for the 957th time. They sabotaged Kimi’s fronts and he understeered to t2, then he tried to correct it with the throttle but he couldn’t have done it better, again he has the pace he needs but Ferrari don’t let him.
Vettel fan 17 (@)
10th June 2018, 0:11
Please tell me you’re joking @peartree
These conspiracy theories are getting worse by the day
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
10th June 2018, 4:17
@vettelfan17 You are bias, you should work at sky, Crofty loves Ferrari and Vettel just like you. Only saving grace is that Ferrari has the best strategists in Ferrari.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
10th June 2018, 6:27
@peartree So Sky are both British Hamophiles and “loves Ferrari and Vettel”?
Errr…kay.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
10th June 2018, 6:29
err…HAM-philes – hamophile doesn’t look like a good non-disrespectful way to refer to HAM.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
10th June 2018, 22:56
@davidnotcoulthard @vettelfan17 and anon. Sarcasm not detected. Sky’s problem is not being bias towards the Brits, thats fine by me, croft and ted can’t stand Ferrari, particularly Croft.
Vettel fan 17 (@)
10th June 2018, 7:33
@peartree
That’s weird, I find Sky the contrary, quite biased to not only Hamilton but British drivers in general. When have you found them biased to Vettel?
anon
10th June 2018, 10:16
@vettelfan17, basically, it’s whenever he needs them to be perceived to be biased in that direction in order to make his strange and somewhat paranoid rants work.
Mo
10th June 2018, 5:59
Time for Rikkinon to be put out to pasture….