Boring race for Raikkonen

23/09/2012

Mat Coch writes:

Kimi Raikkonen was left frustrated after a Singapore Grand Prix in which the Lotus driver finished sixth. It was perhaps a fortunate sixth, the Finn having been outpaced by Pastor Maldonado and Lewis Hamilton but benefiting from the retirement of both.

The 2007 world champion was left frustrated by his inability to pass Michael Schumacher, to start with, and then Nico Rosberg. "I followed Michael most of the race," he explained. "We were faster but we couldn't get past. Same story with Nico.

"It's not very good when you have to follow people because it's not good for your tyres."

Lotus struggled throughout the weekend, Raikkonen never especially confident despite being labelled a favourite for the win ahead of the event.

The emergence of the Safety Car failed to improve things for the Finn, who was wrong footed by it the first time, before regaining ground with the second. Even with the field bunched Raikkonen couldn't make progress.

"You cannot overtake here so you keep following people hoping you will jump them on the pitstop," he complained. "It was just a boring race."

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