Max Verstappen's Kimi Raikkonen move was stupid - Alfa Romeo

Max Verstappen

Verstappen's Raikkonen move was stupid - Alfa Romeo

Out on lap one for Max.

Matthew Scott

Monday 2 September 2019 11:00

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Max Verstappen's costly collision with Kimi Raikkonen was the result of a "stupid" move according to Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur.

After making a slow getaway, Verstappen looked up the inside of the Finn into the tight first corner at Spa-Francorchamps.

However, the gap quickly vanished and heavy contact left Raikkonen with a damaged floor and Verstappen a broken track rod, which would send him into the barriers on the climb up Raidillon, ensuring the Dutchman retired before even reaching the orange-soaked grandstand bearing his name at racing speed.

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Vasseur said Verstappen would have been better served to accept his sluggish start and make up places later in the race, with Spa offering several spots to pass.

He told Motorsport.com: "I don't know what happened with Verstappen, but he came from nowhere, he was even behind [Sergio] Perez before the braking.

"He tried to get two cars in the first corner, and it's stupid because in Spa you can overtake and you have room to do something. We are not in Budapest or in Monaco.

LAP 2/44

A look back at the contact between Raikkonen and Verstappen at Turn 1 on the opening lap

All drivers are ok - but Verstappen is out of the race#F1 #BelgianGP ?? pic.twitter.com/mxU7Vp5tb9
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 1, 2019

"[Raikkonen's] car was completely damaged, we were missing half of the floor."

Verstappen was raging over team radio in the aftermath of the incident, but wasn't pointing fingers at the Finn once he was out the car.

"I just tried to keep to the inside and I think Kimi just expected that he was completely in front of me," Verstappen said.

"Of course I braked a little later, but it was still very early. At one point he went on to do his normal line and I couldn't go anywhere. He didn't do it on purpose, of course."