IndyCar team boss, Sam Schmidt, has said Marcus Ericsson was “pretty pissed” not to deputise for Kimi Raikkonen at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen was an injury doubt for the race weekend at Spa after picking up a leg injury during the summer break.

Reserve driver Ericsson was called away from his IndyCar duties in the penultimate race at Portland to step in for Raikkonen, but he ultimately was not needed as Raikkonen completed the whole weekend.

“I don’t know for real what’s going on over [at Alfa Romeo in Belgium], because I was told Raikkonen was totally out for this weekend,” said Schmidt via Autosport.

“That’s why they needed Marcus, and then he gets over there and he doesn’t get an opportunity.

“He’s pretty pissed, because he wanted to be here, and he’s been driving well lately, so we were disappointed too.”

However, SPM will not be holding any grudges as Ericsson is way down the standings in IndyCar with just one round to go in the 2019 season.

Schmidt added: “But we wanted to do them a favour, and it’s no big deal – he’s only 17th in points, and we wanted to be nice.”

Ericsson told Swedish broadcaster, Viaset, that it hurt to not feature at all during the race weekend at Spa.

“Of course it does [hurt],” Ericsson said.

“I’m racing for a new contract there for next year and, of course, every time you get to race it’s an opportunity to show them what you’re made of.

“So of course it’s not optimal, but there was such a real chance of me racing this weekend that the decision was made for me to be here.

“Both Kimi and the team agreed that it was very uncertain that he was going to be able to race.

“It’s not the optimum situation for me, but that’s the case sometimes.”

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