German GP: Kimi Raikkonen suspects Lotus' last pitstop not required
Kimi Raikkonen suspects he might not have needed the final pitstop that cost him the lead of the German Grand Prix
As rivals Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean came in with around 20 laps to go for new mediums, Raikkonen stayed out and assumed the lead for Lotus.
But having last pitted during the mid-race safety car, Raikkonen ultimately stopped for softs 10 laps from the finish.
He subsequently reclaimed second from Lotus team-mate Grosjean, but fell one second shy of catching Vettel for victory.
"I could run longer and we had to think about if we should try to run until the end," said Raikkonen.
"But I had massive problem with the radio. I could hear the team but they couldn't hear me, apart from at two corners.
"I wonder if we should have gone to the end as the tyres were OK."
Raikkonen agreed with Vettel's suggestion that the lead would have changed had the race been any longer.
"It's hard to know what would have happened in the next two laps," said the Finn.
"We had good speed. I think we would have had a big fight anyhow and probably passed him.
"We tried everything we had and failed to win, but I think for the team we had a good race. We'll keep trying."
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Kimi Raikkonen |
| Teams | Team Lotus , Lotus F1 Team |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
The clues Hamilton’s F1 contract afterthought gives to his future
The Formula 1 world reacted with surprise when it learned Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new Mercedes deal guarantees his presence on the grid only until the end of 2021. Both parties claimed publicly they were happy with the arrangement but, asks MARK GALLAGHER, is there more to it than that?
How a harshly ejected Red Bull star has been hooked by racing again
Driver-turned-DJ Jaime Alguersuari lost his love for motorsport when he was booted out of Formula 1 just as he was starting to polish his rough edges. Having drifted from category to category then turned his back on racing altogether in 2015, he’s come full circle and is planning a return in karts for fun
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era
