Formula One news

Williams backs McLaren's decision

Raikkonen crashing out of the race

WilliamsF1 technical director Sam Michael is backing McLaren's decision not to pit Kimi Raikkonen for a new front-right tyre and instead go for glory at the end of the European Grand Prix. The decision not to pit cost McLaren the race and saw Alonso's lead over Raikkonen swell by a further ten points.

"If that happened on a Williams we would have crashed as well," Michael told reporters after ther ace. "To give up your position when you're about to possibly win is difficult and you'd do everything possible to hold that off. I can understand completely what happened with McLaren."

"It's easy to try to be critical but if I look at it we would have done exactly the same thing," he added.

Raikkonen's tyre failed on the approach to the first corner on the final lap of the Grand Prix.

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