Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsFerrari

Raikkonen concedes performances have been 'pretty average'

Kimi Raikkonen says his performances have been "pretty average" this season but feels he is still improving at Ferrari.

The Finn returned to Ferrari at the start of last season but was comprehensively beaten by Fernando Alonso and ended the year 12th in the drivers' championship. This season has seen Raikkonen only finish on the podium twice while team-mate Sebastian Vettel has won three races, but he is currently one point behind fourth-placed Valtteri Bottas heading in to this weekend's final round in Abu Dhabi.

Asked how he would describe his season, Raikkonen replied: "Pretty average, I must say.

"Better than last year but still far away from what it should be. But that’s life and next year we’ll try again."

Although he feels his own performances haven't been up to standard, Raikkonen is encouraged by the progress being made by Ferrari as a team.

"Obviously this year has been a lot stronger year from the team than previous year and you can easily see it from whichever way you look at it and it all comes to next year. Obviously that’s the aim: the aim is always to try to be in the front and Mercedes has always been very strong last years and everybody else tries to beat them. Is it going to happen? Are we going to be in a position next year? We hope so at least.

"We have to wait until we put the cars on the circuit in a test and the first few races – then we really see where we are. Obviously there’s a lot of work being done at the factory, number and stuff but it’s never the same until we’re really on the circuit. Then we can see it pretty well, or feel it quite quickly, after a few laps, if it’s going to a good one or not so good one. I’m sure we’re going to have a strong package – but is it strong enough? Time will only tell."

Unfinished business: the scores still to be settled in Abu Dhabi

Chris Medland's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix preview

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.