Raikkonen Insists He is Still Competitive

Ferrari veteran Kimi Raikkonen shrugged off comments that his time was up. He suggested that his driving is no different compared to a decade earlier.

“I don’t feel that I drive any differently than 10 years ago. I think I drive pretty well, in my books at least, and that’s enough for me,” said the Finn.

The 38-year old is enjoying one of his better seasons in 2018. He currently sits third in the championship behind team mate Sebastian Vettel. However, he is 85 points behind Mercedes’ leader Lewis Hamilton.

The 2007 world champion has not won a race since his Lotus days in 2013. Fortunately, he has had eight podium finishes in 13 races this campaign.

Raikkonen is undoubtedly one of the most popular drivers on the starting grid. But he faces an uncertain future in the sport. Though it wouldn’t be surprising if the Italian team kept him on for one more season and into his 40s.

Ferrari usually save major announcements for Monza, their home Italian Grand Prix. However, last year they confirmed Raikkonen ahead of the Belgian GP, the race before it.

The paddock has been rife with speculation about whether Raikkonen will stay, or make way for Ferrari-backed rising star Charles Leclerc who has had an impressive first season with Sauber.

The veteran is 39 in October, meaning another season would see him still racing at 40.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel I can drive as well as I feel that I should,” said Raikkonen. “That’s my tool to measure and decide when it’s enough.

“People always say that the speed will disappear but until this day I feel that it hasn’t disappeared for me,” he added.

“But maybe there is a morning you wake up and it’s just not there anymore. It could be like that but I don’t think you just put a date, you just turn this old or that and it’s just not there. If you have it, you have it and if not…that’s it.”

Both Raikkonen and Leclerc ducked questions about the future, the former suggesting it was one for Ferrari to answer while Leclerc said he had no news.

“For now, I didn’t have any information so I’m just waiting and hopefully I’ll be able to say soon,” said LeClerc.