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F1 US GP: Raikkonen unconvinced updates behind Ferrari form

Kimi Raikkonen says Ferrari's changeable form makes it difficult to gauge whether the updates introduced to the SF16-T during the Malaysian Grand Prix have benefitted the car.

After an indifferent race in Sepang, Ferrari showed stronger form than of late during the Japanese Grand Prix, even if grid penalties for both Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel played their part in leaving them off the podium in fifth and fourth respectively.

With Christian Horner suggesting Ferrari was faster than Red Bull in Suzuka, Raikkonen says it is hard to tell whether the upturn in form was down to the updates.

"We cannot really compare it with the previous parts. We would never put any parts in the car if we didn't think they were better than the old ones, but it's not a night and day difference. It's a small difference but any gain is always welcome.

"We try to gain as much as we can, but I wouldn't say it was because of the upgrades that we were more competitive in Japan. I don't know the reason we were more competitive here but, like I said, all these things helped."

With this in mind, Raikkonen plays down the suggestion that Ferrari will be similarly competitive in the upcoming US and Mexico Grand Prix events.

"I think we had the speed, but the end result didn't show that, the true pace that we had. We've seen things can change a lot, from race to race, between the teams, so where we're going to be in the next races, I don't know.

"In Suzuka everything worked well in the car and hopefully it's the same case in the next race. But it's a different circuit, we'll have different conditions, so we have to wait and see. The aim is to be up there again and hopefully we'll be able to do that."

Zdroj: crash.net