A resurgent Kimi Raikkonen sees no reason why Ferrari cannot win this year's Formula One world title race.
Following a torrid campaign with the team in 2014, Raikkonen finally has a car to his liking at Ferrari this season, with the Finn looking far more like his old competitive self.
Only qualifying issues have denied Raikkonen better results so far this term, with the 35-year-old knocking on the door of his first podium place for 19 months after finishing fourth in the last two races.
At the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, Raikkonen was reeling in team-mate Sebastian Vettel and may well have claimed third but for a late safety car.
Although Vettel and Raikkonen were comfortably adrift of Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at that stage, the Finn is confident Ferrari can catch and regularly beat their German rivals.
"I don't see a reason why not," said Raikkonen.
"We have made big gains and we will continue to make big gains during this year.
"Obviously everybody will improve, so it depends what the rest are doing, but we are definitely going the right way and doing the right things.
"It is about being patient. We need time, we cannot make miracles overnight.
"Sebastian showed we can win (in Malaysia last month), but it depends as one circuit may be better for one team and the next could be a different story.
"We just need to be up there when something happens to them, or the conditions change, but I really feel on speed we will get there to regularly beat them."
Raikkonen recognises, though, he needs to do better in qualifying on Saturday if he is to thrust himself into the hunt for the title.
An error at the Shanghai International Circuit resulted in Raikkonen starting sixth, and although he passed Williams duo Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa on lap one, he could do no more.
"After my mistake fourth was more or less maximum," added Raikkonen.
"I probably could have tried (to pass Vettel) at least, but there was a safety car at the end. It is what it is.
"After what happened on Saturday we at least gained some positions and we had a pretty good car.
"But we are not happy. We have to make Saturdays more correct as it gives you bigger chances and an easier life in the race.
"It doesn't help when you put yourself in a more difficult position for the race, especially one where it is never easy to overtake."
Source: PA
