Raikkonen's Abu Dhabi race over at first corner

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Kimi Raikkonen's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lasted only seconds on Sunday with last year's race winner parking his Lotus and retiring after a first corner collision.

Raikkonen's Abu Dhabi race over at first corner

(Reuters)





A weekend that started badly for the Finn, relegated to the back of the grid after his car failed a post-qualifying inspection on Saturday, ended lamely with a broken front suspension after a collision with a Caterham.

The retirement was a major blow for Lotus, fighting for second place in the Formula One constructors' championship with Mercedes and Ferrari.

Red Bull and Germany's Sebastian Vettel have already won both titles for the fourth year in a row.

The 2007 world champion Raikkonen, who is joining Ferrari next season as team mate to double champion Fernando Alonso, was already a major talking point at the Yas Marina circuit before he turned a wheel on the track.

Raikkonen failed to turn up for scheduled media duties on Thursday and told reporters when he did appear on Friday that he had not been paid a single euro by Lotus and had considered staying at home.

He also cast doubt on whether he would turn up for the remaining two rounds in Austin, Texas, and Brazil.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)


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