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Raikkonen not downbeat despite missing out on podium
Kimi Raikkonen insisted he was far from downbeat about missing out on a podium finish at the Australian Grand Prix, after set-up issues hampered his chances of challenging for the win.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Mar 27, 2017, 11:26 AM
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The Finn was no match for race winner and Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel, after struggling with understeer through the Melbourne season opener to finish fourth.
But having delivered his best start to the season since he triumphed at Albert Park in 2013, Raikkonen thinks there is little reason to be unhappy about what happened.
"It was a bit disappointing where I finished, but we know what we have to do and at least we finished," said Raikkonen, who has failed to take the chequered flag the previous two years.
"For a few years we hadn't finished the race and obviously it wasn't the ideal start.
"This is not 100 percent what we wanted, but I will take it. And okay even if this is disappointing, I'm pretty happy that we've understood a lot of things.
"It came a little bit late [in qualifying], but that's how it goes sometimes. It's one race and we just need to put things where we know they should be and go from there.
"We know we have a strong package and a good race from the team, winning the first race. We have a lot of good things and a foundation to build."
With Vettel's race-winning form showing the strengths of the Ferrari car, Raikkonen said there was little reason to doubt the team could produce some 1-2 finishes this season.
Asked about whether such a prospect was on the cards, he said: "For sure it is if we put things in perfect order.
"You know, good for him [Vettel], good for the team and, like I said, we have a good pace, good car and we just have to keep working. It's a long championship and we just have to see how it goes."
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