F1 steward Mika Salo has defended his decision to penalise Kimi Raikkonen during the Belgian Grand Prix. The Finn was found guilty of failing to slow through a double-waved yellow flag zone, as Max Verstappen's car was being recovered.
Raikkonen was running in fourth place when he received the penalty and was forced to pull into the pits which dropped him down the order. However, the sheer pace of the Ferrari and the safety car allowed him to climb back up to finish fourth.
"It's a rule - it was a double yellow," the former Ferrari driver told the Finnish broadcaster C More. "We got information showing that everyone lifted the throttle with the exception of Kimi. There were people on the track side of the fence pushing the car. Anything can happen and Kimi cannot make that judgement. A rule is a rule - it's that simple."
Fergal Walsh
In the case of Raikkonen, after this no-one can say Stewards are biased! Finland is a small country and I think Kimi owns all the bars. Where's Mika gonna drink now?
I with you @mcbhargav.
Double standards seem to be the way with F1 at the moment. However the grounds of safety were breached by Kimi. Can't remember when Hamilton/Bottas got an driver related penalty, they have cut corners, taken other drivers out without incurring any penalties.
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f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
That was ridiculous, can't believe no penalty was handed