Raikkonen says he is making progress

The Finn will start the Belgian Grand Prix from fourth position on the grid, two places behind Massa, but is convinced that he has got the car much more to his liking now.

"For sure the car has been better, so it is a positive thing," said the world championship. "I ran wide in one corner, but apart from that it was okay. We could have been in a better position, but from where we are we can do something."

Raikkonen said that he and the team had made a definite step forward with the handling of his F2008, in which he has struggled to get the best speed from on Saturday afternoons.

"I feel a bit better. For sure it was not nice, and disappointing, to have made a mistake but that is part of it. At least the car has been better. The car is more like I want, which is a nice thing.

"I made a small mistake, which hurt a bit. It will be difficult to get positions in the race but the weather can do anything, so we will see what we can do."

And he played down suggestions that if he lost further ground to Massa and Lewis Hamilton in Belgium then his title hopes were all but over.

"There are many races to go and many things can happen. For sure if the guys in front of me in the championship finish in front it doesn't help, but there is a long way to go still."