• Ferrari

Raikkonen wary of another wasted Friday

ESPN Staff
May 8, 2014 « Mercedes to trial 'megaphone' exhaust at Barcelona test | Sutil didn't eat for two days to lose weight »
Kimi Raikkonen does not believe one good result with solve Ferrari's problems © Getty Images
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Kimi Raikkonen insists he is fully aware how quickly he needs to get to grips with the F14 T on Friday in Spain after enduring a frustrating weekend in China.

Raikkonen struggled with issues from the outset in China, with suspension troubles limiting his running in both Friday practice sessions. On Saturday the rain jeopardised the final practice session and he then dropped out of Q2, on his way to finishing out of the points in 11th, and Raikkonen knows he needs a good run out on Friday in Spain if he wants to avoid a repeat performance.

"I think there was a lot of small things that influenced what happened [in China]," he said. "I think we could have understood the things much better if we done something in first practice, but then it was wet, so it was not possible to learn whether we had improved because of that. It's an excuse but that's how it went and we know what happened.

"Part of the issue was tyre temperature, but it's the same tyre for everybody so we need to get more knowledge and understand things better. It's difficult to know what to do but in future I hope we can be better and react to those things quicker. Some races it is a help for you, some it is against for you, so it's not just that one thing."

Raikkonen is also fully aware that one good result will not spell the end of Ferrari's problems in 2014.

"It would be nice to get a good result here as that always makes life easier, but getting a good result here rather than at any other circuit is not going to change the year completely. If we get the car running the way we like then we can get the results we want. The important thing is to have a clean weekend."

"Obviously we do the best we can with the car. Every race we look at everything, even if it is a small thing, and whether it can make a difference on how we are doing. The fact is that when you are behind it is hard to catch because the others will not stop working, they keep pushing. We will keep working and trying to improve."

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