Kimi Raikkonen strongly criticised the Azerbaijan Grand Prix preparations after a loose drain cover led to the first practice session being abandoned.
George Russell’s Williams was badly damaged after he hit the cover around 10 minutes into first practice. The session was immediately red-flagged and subsequently abandoned so the race organisers could repair the cover and check over 300 others around the six-kilometre track.“Obviously it was far from ideal for everybody and we looked like amateurs here today,” said Raikkonen. “It should not be like this.
“It’s up to the FIA to make sure that the track is like it’s supposed to be.”
The inspections were completed in time for second practice to begin on schedule. However Raikkonen was frustrated to see the drain cover problem recur.
“It seems to be that every year some drainage hole comes loose, or something slides up,” he said. “Luckily nobody got hurt, but it obviously destroyed everybody’s day.”
Some track activity was disrupted during F1’s first visit to Baku in 2016 due to problems with the kerbs on the temporary street circuit. Valtteri Bottas’s car was also damaged that year when he hit a loose drain cover.
Raikkonen’s team mate Antonio Giovinazzi joked: “For me it is becoming quite normal as I also missed FP1 in China – at the next race I’ll only show up on Saturday.”
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JVF
26th April 2019, 18:32
Well done, Baku
Phylyp (@phylyp)
26th April 2019, 18:39
Looks like Giovinazzi’s got Kimi’s chill 😁
Peter Scandlyn
26th April 2019, 20:11
Don’t worry Kimi. The FIA recovered sufficiently in time to ping Gasly for missing the weighbridge, so all is well….
Joe (@jb784)
26th April 2019, 20:30
Love that GIO comment
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
26th April 2019, 20:37
Is there a report if the new racing director do track inspection like Charlie always was?
RB13
26th April 2019, 21:08
Please don’t start with this kind of keyboard warrior rhetoric. Yes he did, it’s his job. Just because Charlie is no longer with us doesn’t mean materials (in this case one of the clamps under the drain) don’t fail. It happened under Charlie’s watch and it will happen again.
Blows my mind how ‘informed’ F1 fans think they are because they read some articles and tweets a couple times a day with no concept of how many people are working tirelessly behind the scenes who are much, much smarter than them.
Rant over.
Josh (@canadianjosh)
26th April 2019, 21:43
Thanks RB13, you literally took the words out of my mouth.
Dany Kvyat Will Steal Your Soul (@danykvyatwillstealyoursoul)
27th April 2019, 0:04
+1
The armchair “experts” never cease to amaze me.
Selbbin (@selbbin)
27th April 2019, 2:43
Yep.
I think Masi has done an excellent job. To step up from Australian V8s to F1, the pinnacle of international motor-sport, literally overnight to fill such big, experienced shoes would be stressful and difficult despite his experience as the Australian race deputy director. He’s a temporary replacement, but is doing a great job and might become permanent. Although I believe they are looking at having more than one moving forward.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
27th April 2019, 12:05
Blows my mind how ‘well informed’ F1 fans think they are are much, much smarter than others without knowing the answer of the question.
RB13
27th April 2019, 19:29
@ruliemaulana the clue is in the first line of my response:
He stated in an interview that it was impossible to know the clamp had failed DURING THE TRACK WALK.
Of course he did the track walk it’s not some optional activity that Charlie used to do put his fitbit to use! Use your head man smh.
Rahim.RG
26th April 2019, 20:53
Raikkonen forever !!
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
27th April 2019, 0:41
Looks like we could have a chaotic race again with everybody less prepared :)