'We were so close' - Adrian Sutil
FORCE INDIA DRIVER DISTRAUGHT AFTER MONACO GP
May 26, 2008
Adrian Sutil was beyond consolation after having his career-best finish in Sunday's Monaco GP snatched away.
Sutil was driving an unfancied Force India car but was virtually certain to finish fourth place when 2007 World champion Kimi Raikkonen rammed into him with his Ferrari under braking for the chicane after the final safety-car period.
Sutil was forced out with damage to the rear of his car while Raikkonen continued to finish ninth.
Sutil said: "It's a really a shame, we were so close - then Kimi crashed into my rear and destroyed my whole race
"It was the best race of my whole career and it is really a shame - I can't say any more about it. I am really so disappointed."
Sutil started 18th on the grid but moved steadily through the field as several more favoured drivers, including eventual winner Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) and Renault's Fernando Alonso hit the barriers in the difficult wet-weather conditions.
He moved into the points by lap 15 and seemed set for fourth when the Safety Car was called out with 20 minutes to go.
After the first lap of the race I knew I liked the conditions and I was catching people," he said.
Sutil's reputation as a strong wet-weather driver was cemented by his performance in a wet free practice at Monaco in 2007, when he set the fastest time in a Spyker.
He was eighth in Saturday morning's rain-affected free practice session and had showed during the race that he could run easily in the points on pace alone.
Sutil and Force India chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne went to the stewards' office after the race to complain formally about Raikkonen's actions. - Sapa-AFP
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Adrian Sutil was beyond consolation after having his career-best finish in Sunday's Monaco GP snatched away.
Sutil was driving an unfancied Force India car but was virtually certain to finish fourth place when 2007 World champion Kimi Raikkonen rammed into him with his Ferrari under braking for the chicane after the final safety-car period.
Sutil was forced out with damage to the rear of his car while Raikkonen continued to finish ninth.
Sutil said: "It's a really a shame, we were so close - then Kimi crashed into my rear and destroyed my whole race
'It was the best race of my whole career'
."It was the best race of my whole career and it is really a shame - I can't say any more about it. I am really so disappointed."
Sutil started 18th on the grid but moved steadily through the field as several more favoured drivers, including eventual winner Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) and Renault's Fernando Alonso hit the barriers in the difficult wet-weather conditions.
He moved into the points by lap 15 and seemed set for fourth when the Safety Car was called out with 20 minutes to go.
After the first lap of the race I knew I liked the conditions and I was catching people," he said.
Sutil's reputation as a strong wet-weather driver was cemented by his performance in a wet free practice at Monaco in 2007, when he set the fastest time in a Spyker.
He was eighth in Saturday morning's rain-affected free practice session and had showed during the race that he could run easily in the points on pace alone.
Sutil and Force India chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne went to the stewards' office after the race to complain formally about Raikkonen's actions. - Sapa-AFP
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