Alfa Romeo 'almost bought' Raikkonen 'guide dog' after Portimão crash

Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur has joked he 'was close to buying a guide dog' for Kimi Raikkonen after the Finn's race-ending collision at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Raikkonen ran into the back of team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi at the end of lap one at Portimão forcing his front wing underneath his front wheels and ending up in the gravel at turn one.

After the cause of the incident was revealed to be the 2007 world champion losing focus whilst adjusting settings on his steering wheel, Vasseur laughed off the incident and jibed: "I was quite close to buying a [guide] dog for Kimi, or a stick.

"For sure it was a shame that the circumstances were like that. He had to make some changes on the steering wheel and he was more focused on the dial than Antonio. It is like it is.

"When he went back after the race he was the first to apologise. For sure, he didn't do it on purpose."

Ahead of the Spanish GP, Raikkonen revealed he had taken some flak over the incident from son Robin who accused of him of hypocrisy between his driving and coaching techniques.

“My son was telling me 'You always tell me to look forward’ when he’s driving a go-kart," said Raikkonen. "He gave me a bit of that."

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