Kimi Raikkonen says a leg injury has res꧑ulted in Alfa Romeo placing Marcus Ericsson on standby for Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Ericsson is present in Belgium to carry out his third driver duties for Alfa Romeo this weekend𝔍, after Raikkonen pulled a muscle in his left leg while play꧟ing sport during the summer break.

Reports surfaced on Thursday morning suggesting that Ericsson had been drafted in to drive for Alfa Romeo this weekend, though the team were quick to deny the Swede would race in place of either Raikkonen or teamma🦹te Antonio Giovinazzi.

Raikkonen is set to t♕ake part in Friday’s practice se🌌ssions to evaluate whether he can continue for the rest of the weekend, but insisted he should be fine.

“I pulled a muscle and that’s about it - we will see what happens,” Raikkonen told media gathered 🧜in the Spa paddock on 🔯Thursday.

“Ob🥂viously we need to have some back up plans, it would be stupid not to have our third driver in case I couldn’t be driving in the worst-case scenario.

“Ther꧋e’s a reaso⭕n why the team has a third driver if something happens. I think it’s a normal story.

“It’s a difficult situation for him also becauඣse he had a race but that’s how it is.”

Asked how he had sustained the injury, Raikkonen replied: “Sport. I always said it is more dangerous - drinking 🌳is probably🍰 safer.

“Usually youꦛ don’t get injured, you just get hungover.”

Ericsson, who is contesting the IndyCar Series this year, has had to pull out oꦯf ꧃this weekend’s race at Portland in order to be at Spa. He will be replaced by Conor Daly in Schmidt Peterson Motorsports line-up.