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Safe or Sorry

To pit or not to pit, that was the question at McLaren in the latter stages of the European GP, as Kimi Raikkonen's right front tyre threatened to explode like a ticking bomb. Did the Woking outfit make the right call? Would the FIA have allowed them to replace a flat-spotted tyre without being penalised? What do McLaren's rivals think of their decision? And which lap was the real last lap? Adam Cooper analyses the Nurburgring thriller and the ramifications of Raikkonen's dramatic crash

We've been spoiled by some spectacular finishes in recent Grands Prix, but nothing compares with the last-lap drama seen at the Nurburgring last weekend. But while it made for gripping TV, there are aspects of Kimi Raikkonen's unfortunate situation that warrant further investigation.

The McLaren driver's problem began on lap 34 with a particularly violent brake-locking moment when he was trying to lap Sauber's Jacques Villeneuve. Racing drivers have always risked flat-spotting their tyres, but it has become more of an issue this year for two reasons. Firstly, tyres are more vulnerable as they are used up in the course of the race, and have less tread left. Secondly, once you've got the flat spot, you have to attempt to carry it to the end. In Raikkonen's case he had to survive another 25 laps.

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