Lotus: Boullier will talk to Räikkönen and Grosjean
After a fierce battle between Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean during the final laps of the Indian Grand Prix, even as the Finn was struggling with his tires, Eric Boullier will bring his two drivers together for a discussion.
The 2013 Indian Grand Prix was marked by several events: for the history of F1, Sebastian Vettel’s and Red Bull’s fourth titles. But for the minor storyline of the 2013 season, many will remember the knife-edge battle between Kimi Räikkönen, then third, and Romain Grosjean, who was rapidly catching up with his teammate.
The resistance of the Finn, forcing Grosjean off the track to avoid a collision, while his tires were clearly no longer able to keep him ahead of his direct competitors, led to some colorful verbal exchanges between Alan Permane, the Lotus track engineer, and Räikkönen:
– « Kimi, dégage du putain de chemin ! »
– « Ne hurle pas sur moi au milieu d’un virage rapide, putain ! »
A situation that could have cost Lotus dearly in their hopes of finishing on the podium, especially because Felipe Massa was less than two seconds away. Ultimately, Iceman ended up letting the Franco-Swiss driver pass in the last corner.
For Eric Boullier, director of Lotus, the situation could have unfolded more smoothly: “They are free to fight amongst themselves,” he explains to *Autosport* before admitting he expected something else: “It is true that we might have expected an easier maneuver, let’s say. You are never happy when you see both cars struggling and one of them going off the track.”
Freedom yes, personal interests no. The next race taking place very soon will be an opportunity for a clarification: « I will speak to both of them in Abu Dhabi. We work so that these two drivers succeed, but there is a team behind them, and you always have to think about the team. »
The Frenchman insists on highlighting the very particular context of the end of the race: « If Kimi’s tires hadn’t failed, he would have been on the podium. We let them race each other, which is normal, but the tires were degrading and we tried to save as many points as possible for Kimi. »
The words and tone used by Alan Permane, which surprised some observers, are justified by the tension on the pit wall at that moment of the Grand Prix, according to E. Boullier: « We were afraid that the tires would collapse for Romain. We also had an engine problem and had to stop everything to ensure the engine would last until the end. There was a lot of stress behind all this, which is not always easy to manage. »
« Kimi is a competitor. He fights against everyone and I can understand that. But when you’re driving in certain conditions, you fight and I agree with that. When the tires fall apart and you’re two seconds slower than your teammate’s pace, you try not to create a drama. »
On Romain Grosjean’s side, interviewed by Sky Sports, the intention is to condemn this behavior: « We could have lost two cars. Honestly, I don’t know [why he did that], it’s not my problem. I overtook him and fortunately we didn’t lose points. » An opinion corroborated by Alan Permane, on the same microphone: « It was a bit disappointing, to be honest. He knew his tires were done, and there was no need to fight. »
After this Grand Prix, Lotus is fourth in the constructors’ championship, 24 points behind Ferrari and 28 points behind Mercedes. There are three races left to run, meaning a maximum of 129 points to be gained.
