Raikkonen: Alfa double top-10 qualifying helped by extra FP3 running

©AlfaRomeo

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Kimi Raikkonen says the extra running undertaken by Alfa Romeo in FP3 helped it successfully surf Istanbul Park's treacherous waters in qualifying.

Both Raikkonen and teammate Antonio Giovinazzi gained access to the Q3 shootout on Saturday afternoon, a first for the Swiss outfit's drivers this season.

Raikkonen will line up 8th on Sunday's grid with Giovinazzi two spots behind. The Finn said the challenging conditions in qualifying definitely benefitted Alfa's chargers.

"I wouldn’t say it worked so well, it didn’t feel very nice," explained the Iceman.

"We definitely struggled like crazy in the morning and in the end we tried to make some changes and put some more laps in, even if the conditions were awful, and I think that helped a bit in qualifying.

"Like I said, it was not a nice feeling but at least it was the same for everybody. We were not too bad, so for sure this kind of conditions benefited us."

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The F1 veteran admitted that Saturday's tricky environment was "one of the worst" he's seen in his 18 years in F1.

"For sure it was one of the worst, but it is what it is, we cannot change it, so we just go through with it," he added.

"It was so easy to spin, like I did on one of my laps just coming out of the box, but, in the end, we made the best out of it.

"We cannot really push, we can just try to go through the shortest way and find some grip.

"We probably made the best we could out of it and we have to be happy with it. Hopefully, we’ll see what tomorrow brings and we can be happy too."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.