• Italian Grand Prix
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No way around startline accidents - Raikkonen

ESPN Staff
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The start of the Belgian Grand Prix resulted in a big accident © Sutton Images
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Kimi Raikkonen thinks occasional accidents at the starts of grands prix are inevitable as drivers will always take risks to make up easy positions.

At the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend, Raikkonen's team-mate Romain Grosjean triggered an accident at the start that resulted in one race suspension from the Italian Grand Prix. Raikkonen said such accidents are always going to happen in F1 as drivers can make big gains by taking risks at the start.

"I think people try to improve their position at the start because it's the easiest - and maybe most risky - place to overtake people," he said. "But unfortunately in the race it's often quite difficult to get past. If you can gain a place at the start then you probably make your race easier. Accidents happen and it's part of the sport, sometimes they can be avoided but there's nothing you can really change. Things can go wrong even if you don't go aggressively or try to avoid it."

Grosjean will be replaced by Jerome d'Ambrosio at Monza this weekend, and while Raikkonen said he could not comment on how his new team-mate would get on, he said it would be a tough venue to return for one race.

"I've never seen him driving or racing," Raikkonen said. "It's not the easiest place for him to come in, but he's going to get a chance to show what he can do so it's good for him."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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