Formula One news

Row eight spells disaster for Räikkönen

Ferrari experienced mixed emotions in Spain on Saturday as drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen emerged from qualifying with very different results. With large updates on the F60 this weekend, Massa qualified fourth although a badly timed session for the other car leaves Räikkönen twelve places further back and only sixteenth for the start of the race.

Former Champion Räikkönen faces the press in Spain

It was a day of contrasting fortunes for 2007 Champion Räikkönen, who clinched pole in Catalonia a year ago. "We made a stupid mistake," the Finn said plainly, after Ferrari's second failure to pass through Q1 this season. "It's a real shame because the car was much better than the one we had in the previous races and we had every chance of getting a good result. I didn't get any particularly good laps on my only run in Q1, but we thought my best time would be enough to make it to Q2 and so I stayed in the garage."

With the track becoming quicker as the session progressed, Ferrari's tactical error lead to many a finger being pointed in the paddock. "There's no point in saying whose fault it was, because we can't do anything about it now," Kimi continued. "I certainly wasn't keen on doing another run as I was thinking of saving a set of new soft tyres for Q3 and the team reckoned we could make it. Tomorrow's race will be tough and we will try and make the best of the situation. The F60 has improved, maybe not yet to the level of the best, but we're definitely getting closer."

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