Kimi Räikkönen's Bahrain Gp: What Went Wrong?

During the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen was forced to retire from the race after colliding with a Ferrari mechanic, who suffered a double leg break. Raikkonen, who was in podium contention, had been given the signal to leave his pit stop when only three of his tyres had been replaced. The mechanic, Francesco Cigarini, was thrown to the ground and suffered a fractured tibia and fibula. Ferrari was fined 50,000 euros by race officials for an unsafe release. Interestingly, Raikkonen had also been drunk for 16 days between the 2013 Bahrain GP and the Spanish GP.

Kimi Raikkonen's car ran over a mechanic's leg

During the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen's car ran over a mechanic's leg. The incident occurred when Raikkonen, a Scuderia Ferrari Finnish driver and 2007 Formula One world champion, was brought into the pits from third place in an attempt to put pressure on Mercedes. However, he was given the signal to leave his stop before all four of his tyres had been replaced. As a result, when Raikkonen accelerated, the rear left tyre came loose, and he accidentally ran over the leg of one of his team members, later identified as mechanic Francesco Cigarini.

Cigarini suffered a serious injury, later diagnosed as a double leg fracture, specifically a broken shinbone and fibula fracture. He was rushed to a hospital in Bahrain, where he underwent successful surgery. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Cigarini was attended to by paramedics and taken to the track's medical centre. He later posted on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the support he received and reassuring his well-wishers that the surgery had gone well.

Raikkonen, who was forced to retire from the race, expressed concern for Cigarini's well-being and regret for the incident. He stated that he left the pits when the light turned green and was unaware of the issue with the rear left tyre. Ferrari, the team Raikkonen was racing for, was fined 50,000 euros by race officials for an unsafe release. They declined to comment on the specifics of the incident until the governing body, the FIA, completed its investigation.

This incident was not the first time Ferrari had experienced issues with unsafe releases during that weekend. They had previously been fined for another unsafe release during Practice Two, and their partners, Haas, had also experienced similar issues during the Australian GP.

The mechanic, Francesco Cigarini, suffered a double leg break

During the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen was called into the pits on the 37th lap for a tyre change. However, he was prematurely given the signal to leave his pit stop, as only three of his tyres had been replaced. As a result, Raikkonen ran over the leg of one of his team members, Ferrari mechanic Francesco Cigarini, who was thrown to the ground.

Cigarini suffered a double leg break, fracturing both his tibia and fibula. He was rushed to a hospital in Bahrain, where he underwent successful surgery. On his Instagram page, Cigarini posted:

> "Surgery OK. I have to thank all the people worried for me. Nothing else, just a big thanks. Hugs!"

Raikkonen, who was forced to retire from the race, expressed his concern for Cigarini, commenting: "I don't know what happened. I go when the light is green. I don't see what happens behind and unfortunately he got hurt. My job is to go when the light says so. Hopefully he's OK."

Ferrari was fined 50,000 euros by the FIA for the unsafe release of Raikkonen during the pit stop. This incident marked the second time across the Bahrain weekend that Ferrari had made an error during a pit stop, as they were previously fined for another unsafe release during Practice Two.

Raikkonen was shown a green light to leave the pits before it was safe to do so

During the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen was shown a green light to leave the pits before it was safe to do so. The Ferrari driver was in podium contention when he was given the signal to leave his pit stop, but only three of his tyres had been replaced. As the left rear tyre had not been taken off, Raikkonen drove into a Ferrari mechanic, Francesco Cigarini, who was thrown to the ground and suffered a double leg fracture.

Raikkonen retired from the race following the incident, stating that he "didn't know what happened" and that his "job is to go when the light is green". He expressed concern for the mechanic, saying, "I don't know what shape he is in. For sure, not great for him. [...] My job is to go when the light is green. I don't know more than that and hopefully, he is OK."

Ferrari was fined 50,000 euros by the FIA for the unsafe release, and they had already received a fine for another unsafe release during Practice Two. The team will likely review their pit-stop procedure following this incident.

This was not the first time Raikkonen had been involved in an incident in Bahrain. In 2013, between the Bahrain GP and the Spanish GP, Raikkonen spent 16 days drunk, partying with his fellow team members. However, his form did not seem to be affected, as he finished second in Barcelona.

Ferrari was fined €50,000 for the unsafe release of Raikkonen

During the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix, Ferrari was fined €50,000 for the unsafe release of Kimi Raikkonen's car from the pits, which resulted in a collision with a mechanic. The incident occurred when Raikkonen was brought into the pits for a tyre change while in third place. However, he was given the signal to leave before all four tyres had been replaced, with the left rear tyre still not attached. As a result, when Raikkonen accelerated, he drove into a Ferrari mechanic, later identified as Francesco Cigarini, causing him to suffer a double leg fracture.

The incident led to Raikkonen's retirement from the race, as it is forbidden to return to the track with tyres of different compounds. Cigarini was rushed to a hospital in Bahrain, where he underwent successful surgery for a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg. He later posted on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the support he received and well wishes for a speedy recovery.

Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula One world champion, expressed his regret about the incident, stating that he only goes when the light is green and was unaware of the issue with the rear tyre. Ferrari, meanwhile, faced scrutiny and was prompted to review their pit-stop procedure, especially given that this was their second unsafe release incident during that Bahrain race weekend.

The fine imposed on Ferrari for the unsafe release highlighted the importance of safety protocols during Formula One races, with particular attention to the coordination between drivers and pit crews. This incident served as a reminder of the potential consequences of even minor mistakes in the high-pressure world of Formula One racing.

Notably, this incident wasn't the first time Raikkonen had been involved in an unsafe release. During the same race weekend, Ferrari had received a fine for another unsafe release involving Raikkonen during Practice Two. Additionally, their partners, Haas, had also experienced similar issues, with two retirements in comparable circumstances at the Australian Grand Prix. These incidents underscored the need for rigorous safety protocols and the potential for human error in the fast-paced world of Formula One racing.

Raikkonen was drunk for 16 days between the 2013 Bahrain GP and the Spanish GP

Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula One world champion, was drunk for 16 days between the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix. Raikkonen, who was driving for the Lotus F1 team at the time, revealed this himself in an interview with Motorsport.com Italy about his new book.

During the interview, Raikkonen was candid about his 16-day drunkenness, saying that he couldn't remember much of it and that his teammates had to fill him in on what happened. He also said that partying and drinking were normal for him and his teammates at the time, and that it was not the only time he had done something like that.

The Finnish driver and his team had a reason to celebrate, as they had finished in the top two at three of the first four races of the season. Despite the partying, Raikkonen's form did not seem to be affected, as he finished second in Barcelona when he got back on the podium.

In addition to his drinking revelation, Raikkonen also made headlines at the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix for a separate incident. During a pit stop, he was released too early, which resulted in a collision with a Ferrari mechanic, who suffered a double leg fracture. Raikkonen expressed regret about the incident and wished the mechanic a speedy recovery.

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