Raikkonen to test injured leg, with Ericsson on stand-by

Alfa Romeo have confirmed that Kimi Raikkonen has suffered a muscle injury, explaining the reasoning behind drafting Marcus Ericsson in as cover for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Third driver Ericsson has dropped racing commitments in IndyCar this weekend to be in the paddock at Spa-Francorchamps if required.

Alfa confirmed that Raikkonen will drive the car for the start of Friday practice, with the Swede likely on hold in case the veteran is too uncomfortable to continue.

"I pulled a muscle and we will see how it is," Raikkonen told reporters. "We need to have some back-up plan. In my head it should be fine but you never know.

"It would be stupid not to have our third driver in case I couldn’t be driving, then it is the worst case scenario.

Hot off the press 🗞 Kimi has pulled a muscle during the summer break, but he will be in the car tomorrow. 🚗#BelgianGP #Kimi7 pic.twitter.com/zdDW4a3Pjq

— Alfa Romeo Racing (@alfaromeoracing) August 29, 2019

"There is a reason why every team has a third driver. It is a normal story. It is a difficult situation for him also because he had a race, but that is how it is."

Asked how the injury occurred, Raikkonen said: "Sport. It is dangerous. I always said it is more dangerous – drinking is probably safer. Usually you don't get injured, you just get a hangover."

Ericsson raced for the team under its previous Sauber guise for four years, but was dropped for 2019 after Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi were drafted in amid a rebranding for the outfit as a whole.

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