Interlagos' short layout hard to master - Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen admits it’s hard to hook up a tidy lap around the short layout of Interlagos, which plays host to this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

Measuring in at 4.309 kilometres, the historic Autodromo José Carlos Pace features among the shortest circuits on the Formula One calendar, and is one of only five anti-clockwise grand prix venues.

“It’s a different and 'old', traditional circuit,” said Raikkonen.

“It’s about short laps and not so many corners, but it’s hard to make a very good lap time and the grid is always very tight there.

“To lose one tenth means losing a lot of places. Also, there aren’t so many circuits going in an anti-clockwise direction, so it’s always different.

“Obviously it has been resurfaced many times, and it always goes very well at first. But then year by year it becomes more and more bumpy and it makes it more difficult.

“They changed the kerbs a bit, so the flow of the circuit also changed a bit. However, it’s one of those circuits where it’s difficult to go fast even if it might not be so tricky to drive.”

Raikkonen’s trip to Brazil will revive good memories for the Finn, who claimed his 2007 world title by winning that year’s race in a nail-biting showdown against the McLaren pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. The Iceman has claimed another four podiums at Interlagos in his career so far.

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