24/11/2018
NEWS STORY
Kimi Raikkonen has been reprimanded following an incident in final practice this morning.
The Finn was summoned by the stewards following a manoeuvre which appeared in some ways to mirror that of Lewis Hamilton in FP1 yesterday, the main difference being that while the Briton made a late decision to enter the pitlane, the Finn made an equally late decision to remain on track. In both cases the drivers crossed the white line that marks the pitlane entrance.
The stewards heard from Raikkonen and reviewed the relevant video evidence after the Finn did not stay to the right of the white line leading to the safety car line and also crossed the white line separating the pit entry and the track.
The Race Director's instruction states "when entering the pits drivers must stay to the right of the solid white line", while Appendix L Chapter IV Article 4 (d) states "... the crossing... of the line... by a car entering the pit lane..."
In this case, whilst Raikkonen did not enter the pits, he was in the process of entering the pit lane and the pits. Therefore, a breach is considered to have occurred.
Both offences were considered to be part of one incident so a single reprimand was imposed, Raikkonen's first of the season.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Yas Marina, here.