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Raikkonen not fussed about finishing second in standings

Kimi Raikkonen: "It makes no difference to be second, fifth or third really" © Getty Images

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Kimi Raikkonen is not bothered about snatching second place in the drivers' championship from Fernando Alonso before the end of the year.

Raikkonen is third in the standings, 24 points behind Alonso and 14 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fourth. With three races remaining, Alonso's second place is within reach of Raikkonen, but he said it offered no motivation for him.

"It makes no difference to be second, fifth or third really," he said. "You get nothing for it.

"We will try and do the best race by race and see where we end up"

Raikkonen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, his first win since returning to the sport from his two-year sabbatical, but said it does not change his approach to this weekend's race.

"You just approach it like any race. I had a good result there last year, but I had a very boring race there the first time I visited in 2009. I'd prefer to have another good result, but you don't know how strong you'll be until you get to the circuit.

"[When I won in 2012] I was very happy for the team; myself also obviously, but mainly for the all the crew and everyone at Enstone. It was a hard season so the win was well deserved for everyone and just what we needed. It was something great for all the fans who have continued to support me and the team too. For me, it was just another win on the list. It's great of course because it had been a few years, but the wins before were very similar; we didn't have the best car, but we fought hard and still won."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.