Korean GP: Romain Grosjean downplays Lotus radio controversy
Romain Grosjean insisted there was no controversy over his battle with Lotus team-mate Kimi Raikkonen late in the Korean Grand Prix, despite fraught radio messages
Raikkonen beat his team-mate to second with a late-race pass at Turn 1.
Radio broadcasts picked up tense conversations between Grosjean and the team over whether he could repass afterwards, culminating in a request for the Frenchman to "smile" on the podium as the matter would be discussed later.
After the race Grosjean played the matter down and said the loss of second place was just down to his own mistake.
"Unfortunately for me and good for Kimi, the safety car came," said Grosjean. "I made a small mistake, my fault, and Kimi passed me and then there were yellow flags so I couldn't use DRS.
"I don't hear most of the [radio] conversation. I was quicker today. It is a track where it is almost impossible to overtake.
"I should have avoided the AstroTurf in Turn 15 and that would be the end of the conversation.
"It was my mistake, it is not the end of the world."
Raikkonen said the pass had been fairly routine.
"He made a mistake in the second-last corner and I got a good run," said the Finn. "I think he moved a few times to the left.
"I heard there would be yellow flags on the straight so knew he would not get me back with DRS.
"So I decided to overtake and it was not too difficult."
Previous article
Korean GP: Mark Webber says F1 drivers not important to Pirelli
Next article
Korean GP: Sebastian Vettel in no hurry to clinch 2013 F1 title
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Romain Grosjean |
| Teams | Team Lotus , Lotus F1 Team |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Albert Park Circuit Modifications Project
Mercedes-AMG F1 Team: Bahrain GP Race Debrief
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says NIGEL ROEBUCK
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of car-racing titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Are we at peak F1 right now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How crucial marginal calls will decide the Red Bull vs Mercedes battle in F1 2021
The longer Red Bull can maintain a performance edge over Mercedes, the better the odds will be in the team’s favour against the defending world champions. But as the Bahrain Grand Prix showed, many more factors will be critical in the outcome of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.
How Raikkonen's rapid rise stalled his team-mate's F1 career climb
Kimi Raikkonen’s emergence as a Formula 1 star in his rookie campaign remains one of the legendary storylines from 2001, but his exploits had an unwanted impact on his Sauber team-mate’s own prospects. Twenty years on from his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP, here’s how Nick Heidfeld’s career was chilled by the Iceman
