Bahrain GP: Raikkonen now more comfortable with Ferrari's car

The Finn will start Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix from fifth place on the grid, having qualified sixth with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo taking a 10-place grid penalty.

Raikkonen has struggled to feel at home with the Ferrari F14 T this season, but after outqualifying team-mate Fernando Alonso for the first time this season, he said he was happier in the cockpit.

"The feeling is a bit better with the car," Raikkonen told reporters in the Sakhir paddock.

"I think the parts I wanted have definitely helped.

"In qualifying it felt more like we expected and wanted. It's definitely the right direction.

"We're still not where we want to be but we know what we're doing. It will just take time to get where we want."

The 2007 world champion said there is no specific area that needs improvement on the Ferrari, as the team needs to make gains in every department.

"We need to go forward with all areas of the car," he added. "Obviously we need more.

"Understanding on engines and electronics to improve those small things that make a lot of improvement.

"We improved a lot of things in the first three races, all areas. [And] I improved a little with the front end."

NO BRAKE-BY-WIRE ISSUES

Raikkonen said that he has not really suffered many problems with the new brake-by-wire system in the last two race weekends, after it proved troublesome earlier in the year.

"[Brake-by-wire] wasn't really a problem," he said. "We had some issues in testing, there were some odd things in Australia.

"It's all really to do with front end, and if you have a good feeling with the brake it gets easier. We've improved in that area."