Raikkonen: Ferrari can still challenge for F1 title

Although the Maranello outfit has shown huge potential in the first three races of the year, it has yet to beat Mercedes to the chequered flag.

Raikkonen, who saw his hopes of a challenge evaporate after a first-corner collision with Sebastian Vettel in China, knows that things have not been ideal so far this year.

But despite Nico Rosberg opening up a healthy lead in the title stakes, Raikkonen thinks everything is still to play for – especially if Ferrari can raise its game.

"It is only three races old the season," he said. "Obviously a lot can happen and a lot will happen for sure.

"We just have to make the best points that we can and not have any issues in any race, and try to put ourselves in front of him.

"I think speed wise we are not too bad obviously – as in qualifying [in China] we have the speed to be always very close to him without any mistakes.

"At least here we seemed to be closer, at least for me. But if you don't put clean races and they are putting them in, that is not the way to beat them."

Clean up

Raikkonen expects that form will fluctuate over the campaign, and believes that key to a Ferrari surge is in it tidying up its operations over a race weekend

"There will be circuits where we will be stronger than here and sometimes they will probably be stronger, but the main thing is to improve the car and the whole package.

"Then we can have strong races and win races and fight with them.

"But we need to clean things up. If you have issues it will not help in the championship. He has won three, it is not ideal, ideal for him, not for others, but he deserves it and we just have to do a better job."