Kimi Raikkonen 'just messed up' in Lewis Hamilton collision - Nico Rosberg
Nico Rosberg says it is obvious there was nothing deliberate about Kimi Raikkonen's clash with Lewis Hamilton at the start of the British Grand Prix
While comments from Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes made in the heat of the moment after the Silverstone race stirred up the idea that the first lap collision could have been on purpose, 2016 Formula 1 world champion Rosberg thinks the incident was simply down to Raikkonen messing up.
Rosberg says that the fact that Ferrari did not impose team orders in Austria to drop Raikkonen behind Vettel was a clear sign that the Finn is not out there just to help his team-mate to the title.
Speaking about the incident on his YouTube channel, Rosberg said: "The answer is pretty simple. 100% not on purpose.
"We also saw that in Austria because even there, Kimi is not driving for Sebastian.
"In Austria, Kimi was second and Sebastian third and there was no letting Sebastian past at all. They didn't even consider that.
"Kimi is driving for his own thing. Kimi was out there and just completely messed it up, braked way too late, locked up and torpedoed into Lewis.
"It is unusual for Kimi because usually those kind of things don't happen to him. So a bit strange.
"But definitely not on purpose, and well deserved to get a 10-second penalty and two [licence penalty] points."
Despite Hamilton making insinuations about Ferrari's "interesting tactics" on the podium after the British GP, he clarified on Monday that he accepted Raikkonen's apology.
"Kimi said sorry and I accept it and we move on," he wrote on Instagram. "It was a racing incident and nothing more.
"Sometimes we say dumb shit and we learn from it."
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