Raikkonen ‘much happier’ after sluggish start

Editor

Kimi Raikkonen believes he is getting towards having the right balance with his car but has admitted it has taken too long.

The Finn has been overshadowed by his team-mate and World Championship leader Sebastian Vettel so far this season, having been outqualified and outraced in the first three grands prix.

Raikkonen has yet to reach the podium, but he thinks he will be in the mix for race victories again once some fine-tuning has been done.

“To be honest, it takes way too long,” Raikkonen said. “You know, we're supposed to get it right straight away, and obviously we haven't.

“A lot of reasons but it didn't help last race [China], not driving the first day. At least when you're going through some issues, you want to get track time.”

“I'm pretty happy with the car now,” he said. “I feel that we are doing the absolutely right things.

"And in the race [on Sunday] I felt the car was very good, but I made a mess in the first lap, putting ourselves in a difficult position.”

He added: “It's just the small things now, in the big picture we are pretty much where we want to be – it's just that we need to fine-tune a few things.

“I don't think it's the big things but obviously it has cost us. [It's] taking too long, but nobody to complain [to], it's my job.

“Overall, yes, we are much happier with the things, but I cannot be very happy with the result even this weekend. It's all big picture – when you look, it's been disappointing.”