Motor Racing: Lewis shunt proves costly

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), June 9, 2008

FORMULA One world champion Kimi Raikkonen is not angry with Lewis Hamilton over the shunt that cost him valuable points in his title defence - and earned the British driver a 10-place drop down the grid for the next grand prix in France.

The Finnish Ferrari driver was hit from behind by Hamilton's McLaren as he waited on a red light at the end of the pit lane in an exciting Canadian Grand Prix last night.

The accident put both title rivals out of the race, enabling Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber to notch his maiden victory and leapfrog Ferrari's Felipe Massa, Raikkonen and leader Hamilton into a fourpoint first place after six races.

Hamilton had been leading after 18 laps and going into the pits but was on a one-stop strategy and was slower to refuel than both Kubica and Raikkonen - who pulled out before him only to be red-lighted, side by side, at the end of the lane.

Following them, Hamilton saw the red light too late, appeared to swerve to avoid Kubica directly in front of him and instead careered into the Ferrari - an act which prompted race stewards to impose the Brit's penalty for Magny-Cours later this month.

"There's not much I can say," said Raikkonen, who himself shunted Force India's Adrian Sutil out of the Monaco Grand Prix in the previous race - albeit on the track.

"My race was ruined by Hamilton's mistake.

"Obviously, anyone can make mistakes - as I did two weeks ago in Monaco.

"It's one thing to make a mistake at 200 miles per hour but another to hit a car stopped at a red light.

"I am not angry - because that doesn't achieve anything and does not change my result! I am unhappy, because I had a great chance of winning."

An angry Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was less philosophical.

"It was a serious mistake from Hamilton, and I think the penalty imposed by the FIA is in line with it - even if it does not restore what was a lost opportunity for us "

CAPTION(S):

WINNER: Kubica