• European Grand Prix
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I didn't have the speed for victory - Raikkonen

ESPN Staff
June 24, 2012 « 'Best victory' for emotional Alonso | Red Bull unsure of Vettel failure »
Kimi Raikkonen: "I didn't have the speed today to challenge for the win" © Sutton Images
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Kimi Raikkonen said he did not have the speed to challenge for victory at the European Grand Prix after finishing second to Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen was sixth at the end of the first lap but fought back through the field to take second from Lewis Hamilton three laps from the end. Raikkonen said he had been managing his tyres, but did not have enough left in them to close the six second gap to Alonso before the chequered flag.

"I think everybody had quite old tyres at that point, but I just didn't have enough tyres," he said. "I had enough tyres to get past Hamilton on the second or third to last lap, but didn't have the speed today to challenge for the win."

Raikkonen made a good start from fifth on the grid to challenge Pastor Maldonado into turn one, but had to back off as the Williams squeezed him towards the apex. That dropped him to sixth and he said it was always going to be a struggle from there.

"I think on the start I got a good start but got blocked by Maldonado in the first right hander and lost quite a few places because of that. I was a bit behind but we made a good recovery and I had quite a hard fight with people, overtaking and I kept overtaking until I got to second place. But of course it was not what we wanted."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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