Russian GP move on Valtteri Bottas not stupid - Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi Raikkonen has insisted his lunge on Formula 1 rival Valtteri Bottas on the last-lap of the Russian Grand Prix was not "stupid"
The Ferrari driver hit Bottas's Williams while challenging for third place, after both had nipped past Force India's Sergio Perez as the Mexican's tyres faded.
Bottas was pitched into the barriers and out of the race while Raikkonen limped across the line in fifth.
The Finn was then given a 30-second penalty by the stewards, which dropped him to eighth.
"I don't think it was something completely stupid that I tried," said Raikkonen.
"I would have made the corner but usually when there's two cars, there are many ways of looking at it.
"I was there but he didn't know I was there and in that, you will have a contact.
"It's an unfortunate thing, not just for us but for them.
"You never want to have accidents, but that's racing and things happen."
Bottas disagreed with Raikkonen's opinion, insisting it was not a racing incident.
But Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene backed his driver, pointing to a collision between Raikkonen and Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo in Monaco going unpunished.
In that race, Ricciardo dived down the inside of Raikkonen at Mirabeau in the closing stages of the grand prix to take fifth and the pair clashed, with the Finn forced wide and losing the place - but the stewards opted not to take action.
"It's a race incident," he said.
"If you look in Monaco for example, Ricciardo/Kimi was more or less the same and it was considered a race accident.
"So I don't see any reason why this can't be considered as it was considered in Monaco."
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