Ferrari fighting fit, feels former champion Kimi Raikkonen

Manama (Bahrain): Buoyed by the a revitalised driver pairing and a much-improved power unit, Ferrari have breathed new life into Formula One’s world championship battle this year — and appear ready to make it stick. The Italian team, which ended a two-year win drought when Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian Grand Prix, saw the ‘Ice Man’ Kimi Raikkonen roll back the years on Sunday with a resurgent second place behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

This form has lifted them into a strong second place in the constructors’ championship behind champions Mercedes and set up the prospect of a thrilling title fight as the series heads back to Europe next month for the Spanish Grand Prix. Finn Raikkonen, 35, who won the championship with Ferrari in 2007, has rekindled his own form and blended with new boy, four-time champion Vettel this season.

“I’m very happy with the team and I think many people didn’t expect, after last year, that we would be in this position this early,” said Raikkonen, after grabbing second ahead of Nico Rosberg. “We had decent speed here and I think we just have to keep working and improving the whole package. I’m sure we will get there and we can fight every weekend after that.”

He added: “The whole package has improved. The car has improved a lot, there’s a lot more down-force, it’s handling a lot better. All areas have improved,” the 2007 drivers’ champion went on to add.