Raikkonen: ‘The car is still not perfect’

Kimi Raikkonen says his Ferrari “is still not perfect” despite the Finn finishing both Sepang free practice sessions in P2, each time less than four tenths behind the pace-setting Mercedes.

Despite spinning in the afternoon, team-mate Sebastian Vettel also posted strong lap times ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix, which has prompted Lewis Hamilton to claim that both SF15-Ts “look great” around the Sepang International Circuit.

However, the 2007 world champion feels Ferrari still needs to make further improvements, especially on the car’s set-up.

“The whole day has been quite tricky,” said Raikkonen. “The morning was probably a bit easier than the afternoon, but I think we have to work a bit more on the set-up to get it a bit nicer.

“We have to still improve because we are struggling a bit. The car is still not perfect.

“I think we should go faster (but) it’s not a disaster.”

A two-time Malaysian Grand Prix winner (2003, 2008), Raikkonen claimed his maiden success in Formula One at Sepang when the then 23-year-old Finn took the chequered flag aboard his McLaren MP4-17D 12 years ago.

Click here for Friday's gallery from the Malaysian Grand Prix

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Julien Billiotte

Recent Posts

Horner in Jerez: Surprise MotoGP visit sparks ownership visit

The asphalt at Jerez was already sizzling on Saturday, but the temperature in the MotoGP…

17 hours ago

Michele Alboreto: Ferrari's last Italian winner

On this day in 2001, the world of motorsport mourned the loss of Michele Alboreto,…

19 hours ago

Ouch! Alesi spins vintage F1 Ferrari into Monaco barrier

Former Grand Prix driver Jean Alesi, who famously wore his heart on his sleeve during…

20 hours ago

Montoya’s shock call: Ban Verstappen from GT3 racing!

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has called out Red Bull for letting Max Verstappen…

21 hours ago

‘Starting to pay off’: Sainz encouraged by positive step for Williams

While the start of the 2026 season has been a heavy lift for Williams –…

22 hours ago

Brown: Cozy team alliances a risk for F1’s ‘sporting fairness’

Zak Brown has once again lit the fuse on one of the sport’s most controversial…

24 hours ago