Kimi Raikkonen: Ferrari must learn from Hungarian GP Q2 exit
Kimi Raikkonen believes the Ferrari Formula 1 team can learn lessons about timing from his Q2 exit in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying
Raikkonen took the chequered flag in the rapidly drying second segment of Hungaroring F1 qualifying relatively early and was bumped down to 14th place as others took advantage of the improving conditions.
"It was a shame where we ended up because the car today has been very good in my view," he said.
"Whatever the reasons were, it makes no difference.
"The speed is there, it's disappointing but what can we do now?
"We have to learn from things and do better next time.
"In hindsight we can always say we should have done this or that differently, but it will not change the end result today and we have to learn and do things better in the future.
"The lap time was OK, but 30 seconds later it was not anymore.
"It was getting drier and faster every lap so it's one of those things that is part of the game; sometimes you get it right and others do not."
His team-mate Sebastian Vettel made it to Q3 and qualified fifth, though he felt traffic cost him as much as a second and he was only 0.909s adrift of pole.
"Unfortunately when the car came alive I wasn't able to put a lap in," said Vettel.
"We had a yellow flag in the middle sector and I ran into traffic, and both cars that I faced I think could have done a better job in getting out of the way.
"By the time I was in the last sector I'd lost so much time that there was no point to go into the last corner."
Vettel is confident Ferrari can at least take the fight to Red Bull in Sunday's race.
"I don't think we have to hide with the pace we have or we could have had," he said.
"I think our main rivals are right in front of us - the Red Bulls - and I think in the race we can be faster than them."
Raikkonen agreed that Ferrari was firmly back on the pace in Hungary after its troubled British GP.
"I think it's a lot to do with the circuit layout and the conditions," he said.
"Silverstone was very difficult with the windy conditions and the layout; it was definitely the most difficult for us this year.
"Here we knew it was going to be a lot better.
"We are not where we want to be, but I'm sure with the normal laps we're not far away on this kind of circuit and it's very close.
"It's been a decent day today apart from second qualifying."
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