Mixed feelings for Kimi Raikkonen

40

Kimi Raikkonen went from fourth on the grid to third at the flag in today’s Austrian Grand Prix, the Finn battling his way up the order in the closing stages to finish hot on the heels of second placed Max Verstappen.

The Ferrari driver never found himself lower the sixth all afternoon, and enjoyed a good scrap with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in the second half of the race, eventually inheriting a place on the podium following Nico Rosberg's last lap mishap.

Despite losing some track positions during a lengthy second stint on the SuperSoft tyre, Raikkonen , while a bit disappointed, recognized that there wasn't much to complain about for his 84th podium finish.

"The podium was a bit of a gift for us, but we'll take it with no complaints," Kimi said.

"We had pretty good speed from the beginning, trying to save the tyres a bit. It was a bit hard when I found myself in 6th after the pit stop, but the biggest issue was getting past the first Red Bull [of Ricciardo].

"After that the speed was good and perhaps without the yellow flags I could have gone after Max, but that's the way it goes.

"I'm perhaps bit disappointed but where we ended up given the first part of the race, but on the other hand it could have been a lot worse.

"Unfortunately, Sebastian had an issue so we could not have strong weekend as a team. We still have some things to work out."

AS IT HAPPENED: Austrian Grand Prix

Breakfast with ... Alexander Rossi

F1i Classic: Penske's emotional Austrian GP win

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.