Sunday: Lotus satisfied with its race given its qualifications
Lotus corrected the situation well after disappointing qualifications. Kimi Räikkönen, who finished 4th on the track after a patient race, was finally classified 3rd due to Sebastian Vettel's penalty. Romain Grosjean, on the other hand, paid the price for starting on the tenth row, with contact forcing him to pit at the end of the first lap, preventing him from doing well.
Kimi Räikkönen – 3rd [after Sebastian Vettel’s penalty]:
« We did the best we could from our position on the grid. My start was correct, but then I think Lewis [Hamilton] had a problem in front of me and I had to slow down to avoid hitting him from behind. That allowed Paul [di Resta] to get into the DRS zone and from there, we had a mountain to climb because it was difficult to overtake. Maybe if we had had better pace yesterday in the rain, we could have started higher and challenged the leaders, but that’s how it is. For sure, we hoped for a bit better here, but the car performed well throughout the race, and we still brought back some good points for the team, so there are some positives to take to the next race. »
Romain Grosjean – 18th:
« We were on the defensive from the start, after our grid demotion, and nothing went right today. It’s a shame, I had a good start and gained a few places in the first corner. Then, on the straight, there was contact and it ruined my race. I’m not sure what happened – we’ll have to look at the onboard camera to get a better idea – but my car was severely damaged with a broken front wing and a puncture. But after getting to the pits, my race was already over. You never want to experience these kinds of weekends, but it happens. It will make us appreciate the next race even more. »
