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SINGAPORE - It's not surprising that news of Kimi Raikkonen's back injury caused eyebrows to rise in the Singapore paddock.
That's because the news followed hot on the heels of the Finn's controversial revelation that he is only leaving Lotus for Ferrari in 2014 because he has not been paid.
And the common paddock perception is that Raikkonen's 'illness' that caused him to sit out Thursday's proceedings at Spa recently was simply his lack of desire to attend. Raikkonen qualified 13th in Singapore, 10 places behind Romain Grosjean, apparently due to a pinched nerve in his back.
CRASH INJURY
A paddock cynic said mischievously late on Saturday: "Perhaps he should pad his seat with wads of money?"
Sources insist, however, that The Iceman really does have a painfully sore back. The official story, according to Germany's Bild am Sonntag, is that the injury dates back to a huge crash during testing at Magny Cours in 2001.
Correspondents Frank Schneider and Nicola Pohl have heard something different - Raikkonen hurt his back in an alcohol-fuelled stumble on a staircase - and a Lotus team member is reported to have said, without elaborating: "There was an incident."
Despite his injury, Raikkonen showed his worth when he finished third in the 2013 Singapore GP on Sunday.
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 F1 season – fresh reports every day.
That's because the news followed hot on the heels of the Finn's controversial revelation that he is only leaving Lotus for Ferrari in 2014 because he has not been paid.
And the common paddock perception is that Raikkonen's 'illness' that caused him to sit out Thursday's proceedings at Spa recently was simply his lack of desire to attend. Raikkonen qualified 13th in Singapore, 10 places behind Romain Grosjean, apparently due to a pinched nerve in his back.
CRASH INJURY
A paddock cynic said mischievously late on Saturday: "Perhaps he should pad his seat with wads of money?"
Sources insist, however, that The Iceman really does have a painfully sore back. The official story, according to Germany's Bild am Sonntag, is that the injury dates back to a huge crash during testing at Magny Cours in 2001.
Correspondents Frank Schneider and Nicola Pohl have heard something different - Raikkonen hurt his back in an alcohol-fuelled stumble on a staircase - and a Lotus team member is reported to have said, without elaborating: "There was an incident."
Despite his injury, Raikkonen showed his worth when he finished third in the 2013 Singapore GP on Sunday.
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 F1 season – fresh reports every day.