Mercedes Makes No Excuses for Problems

The Finn driver has been plagued by misfortune this season, with blown engines in practice wrecking his hopes of pole position in France, Britain and Italy.

Raikkonen was again forced to change his engine following first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday.

Haug said Mercedes are pushing hard to improve the situation while staying on top.

"We never speak about bad luck, we are just not good enough," said Haug on Saturday. "We are trying to push forward and we have made good steps but it is not 100 percent. Nobody has changed engines as much as us, but we are also in the limelight and it always hits Kimi's car.

"We have been quite dominant sometimes but on the other side we need to improve. I have to apologise to the guys but we are fully committed to it and nobody is leaning back and thinking we are almost there."

McLaren boss Ron Dennis, however, put a positive spin on Raikkonen's engine change in Suzuka after the qualifying session was hit by rain.

"The engine change has actually improved Kimi's chances of winning the race," said Dennis.
 
"His grid position would have been the same because of the rain but now he has a race strategy based on having an engine change, which is a better race strategy than it would have been if he had been going for pole position."