Raikkonen adamant Ferrari is not losing ground

Kimi Raikkonen rebuffs the idea that Ferrari is sliding back in the 2015 pecking order after he and team-mate Sebastian Vettel respectively qualified fifth and sixth for Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

The Finn looked like an outside contender after clocking the fastest time in Q1 but eventually saw the two Williams of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas lock the second row of the grid at Silverstone.

“I don’t think we’re sliding back,” said Raikkonen. “We did not get maybe exactly what we wanted today but the windy conditions we know are not very easy for us. It’s not like a disaster.

“We’re not happy to be fifth and sixth but the race is tomorrow. So there is no point to start talking about sliding back. I’m sure we’re improving but maybe the lap times did not show it today.

“We know more or less where we are. Obviously we expect to be behind the Mercedes. Today we end up behind Williams as well, but there is a small difference between them and us.”

Having come under intense pressure over his future at Ferrari in the past few weeks, Raikkonen replied on track by outqualifying Vettel on merit for the first time this year. But in typical fashion, the 2007 world champion remains clearly unmoved by his Saturday achievement.

“It does not make me any happier to be fifth instead of sixth. I don’t care to be in front of (Vettel) when we are in this position. Yes, it makes a difference when we are P1 and P2.

“Maybe people look at it differently but for me this is just a number.”

Click here for Saturday's gallery from the British Grand Prix

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