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Raikkonen aims for Lotus improvement

Kimi Raikkonen was quickest on the final day of testing at Jerez © Getty Images

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• Kimi Räikkönen

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• Lotus F1

Kimi Raikkonen says that while he aims to win the drivers' championship in 2013, his main goal is to improve on last year's showing.

Having been out of Formula One for two years, Raikkonen enjoyed an impressive return to the sport last year as he won in Abu Dhabi and finished third in the championship. He insisted there was no pressure on him to perform again this year, but that it is natural for the main target to be further improvement.

"We try to do better and hopefully we manage to do it," Raikkonen said. "I think everybody is aiming to do better than what they did the previous years. Even if you win the championship you still try and improve things and I cannot promise that we will manage to do that, but that's our aim and hopefully we can do that."

After setting the fastest time on the final day of testing in Jerez, Raikkonen also said that he felt his pre-season had been more productive than in 2012 so far because he's already settled within the team.

"It's more easy because I know the team and I know the people and they know me. But it doesn't mean we will suddenly going to be much faster and do much better. There are an awful lot of things that can work in your favour or go against you.

"In theory it should be more easy, but I don't count on it that we are suddenly going to turn it around and start to be something different than how we finished last year. The time will tell, but it's definitely more easy to come here this year than it was a year ago because I know the team and they know me."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.