Q & A with Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen: I don't know. It is not easy. I think the first race was the best one, the car was the nicest but then the last race in Bahrain it was quite difficult. Here after the test we have found something so hopefully here it works, but you never know. It is completely different weather again. I am pretty sure it is better but you never know until you get in the racing, and then qualifying.

Q. After three races, how would you describe your relationship with Felipe Massa?

KR: It is the same. We have a good relationship. Of course we race against each other, but we have a good atmosphere in the team and that is the main thing.

Q. So is he your teammate or your opponent?

KR: He is both.

Q. You were very positive after the last test here. You said that finally the car was handling the way you wanted it. What is the big difference now with the car compared to what it was in Bahrain?

KR: We have some new parts. New aerodynamic stuff, new front end slightly and we have found a better set-up overall. That is the biggest difference. It is more like I want to drive it. So I can to drive it like I used to. Before I was driving as the car was going best for me, but it wasn't really what I wanted to do. So hopefully now it is better.

Q. Fernando Alonso has said that it is not a championship for four people, it is a championship for two - himself and you. What do you think about that?

KR: It doesn't look like it exactly. I think you never know. It is going to be a long season and for sure I don't think it is going to last like this all year. For sure something is going to happen to some drivers and then probably they will lose too many points to get back in the game any more. For sure now it looks very close and I cannot really say what is going to happen in the future. But hopefully we can come out on top.

Q. Michael Schumacher is coming to the circuit for the first time this season. Any feelings on that?

KR: He is coming as he is still involved in the team. He will try and help the team go forward, so I think this is why he is coming. I think it will only be a positive thing.

Q. Do you expect Lewis Hamilton to stay in the hunt for the world championship?

KR: Like I said, I don't know what is going to happen in the next races. Nobody knows. So far he is been doing great work, so he might be the worst enemy for us. He might be up there all year, or maybe not. Maybe we are, maybe not. I don't know. Let's see what happens.

Q. Do you like the chicane after they changed the final two corners on the track?

KR: I think the last circuit was nicer, even though it was maybe more dangerous. It was more fun in a way. It was good to have a go and try and make it easier to overtake, but I don't think it is going to make it an awful lot easier. Hopefully it makes it, but looking at the test it still wasn't easy if the other guy doesn't make a mistake.

Q. On Michael's visit, how can he help the team? What kind of role can he do to help you this weekend?

KR: Like I said, he is here to help the team. Hopefully he has much more time to look at what the other teams are doing and comes up with some ideas. That is the way he is approaching the weekend and naturally he is not coming to us to tell us how to drive the cars. It has never been the thing why he is here. You need to really ask himself or the team, I am not here to answer those questions.

Q. Now that you are racing alongside Massa, is he better than you expected?

KR: I knew that he was good. You never know how it is going to go in the racing but I think it is what I expected.

Q. As a Ferrari driver have you changed your way of working?

KR: Not really. I think every team has a different way of working and different schedules - things like that. So I am doing the same things I did before, but it is just a different style.

Q. It has been suggested that one of the areas you have improved the car from your point of view it to use the new tyres better. Is that true?

KR: I think so. Our weakest point has been the qualifying and the race has never been such a big problem. But with the new tyres, if you don't get to the front in qualifying then it is hard to do much after that. So for sure that is where we want to improve and hopefully that will happen.

Q. Are you in a position where if Michael says, 'I think we should do this...' you have to listen to him, or is it much more of a committee process where you all have an input?

KR: I think I still drive the car, and I do with my engineers what I want.

Q. So no?

KR: (shrugs shoulders).