Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen says he “doesn’t know what” compatriot Valtteri Bottas was doing as the pair collided on the opening lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Bottas and Räikkönen battled over second position but the pair came to blows at Turn 2, with Bottas bouncing over the inside kerb and into the side of the Ferrari.
Räikkönen dropped to fifth in the incident, before tumbling through the order later on when he picked up damage when the Force India drivers collided at the same corner.
“Many things happened that were out of our hands and unfortunately we paid a big price,” said Räikkönen.
“After the start, at the second corner, I got hit by Bottas; I don't know what he was doing, he braked very early but probably he noticed that and let the brakes off, went too fast and hit me.
“Because of that the rear end of my car hit the wall and I had a massive damage.
“We were able to keep going but then I was unlucky. The two Force Indias collided, some debris flew off and destroyed my rear tyre.
“My whole floor and the rear wing were damaged and we decided to retire.”
Ferrari utilised the subsequent red flag period to make repairs to his SF70-H and sent him back on track, but a lapped Räikkönen remained at the rear of the field, and he was retired once more.
“Obviously my car was still not perfect and we decided to stop,” he said.
“It's not a good day when your car retires twice in a race. I'm disappointed because, without all these things happening, my car would have been good.
“There's nothing else we could have done, we tried our best.”
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