Kimi: “I Was Engulfed in Flames and Blinded”

Kimi Raikkonen has shed some light on his fiery trip to the pits at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver damaged his front wing during a first-lap collision and was forced to pit. The real drama, though, was yet to unfold.

Just as he started to exit the pit lane, Heikki Kovalainen moved in front of him with his fuel hose still attached to his car. Fuel sprayed out and the droplets caught fire right in front of the Finn.

Raikkonen revealed after the race that some drops of petrol ended up in his eye.

“What happened on the first lap ruined my race. First I was hit at the first corner, then when trying to pass Webber, I was hit and lost the front wing,”

He said.

“At the pit stop, I ended up with some drops of petrol in my eye, from the fuel line stuck on Kovalainen’s car and then I was engulfed in flames and blinded.

“I was going to stop, but luckily the flames soon went out. Even now, my eyes are still burning, but I’m alright.”

Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen has shed some light on his fiery trip to the pits at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver damaged his front wing during a first-lap collision and was forced to pit. The real drama, though, was yet to unfold. Just as he started to exit the pit lane, Heikki Kovalainen moved in front of him with his fuel hose still attached to his car. Fuel sprayed out and the droplets caught fire right in front of the Finn.

Raikkonen revealed after the race that some drops of petrol ended up in his eye.

“What happened on the first lap ruined my race. First I was hit at the first corner, then when trying to pass Webber, I was hit and lost the front wing,”

He said,

“At the pit stop, I ended up with some drops of petrol in my eye, from the fuel line stuck on Kovalainen’s car and then I was engulfed in flames and blinded.