Raikkonen aims to break Nurburgring jinx

The Ferrari driver has won the last two races in Magny-Cours and Silverstone to revive his title hopes following a shaky start to the season. The Finn is 18 points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton with eight races to go.

Now Raikkonen is looking to break his duck at the Nurburgring next week, after several disappointing races in the past.

In 2003 he retired with an engine failure while leading from pole position. He also retired with engine problems in 2004 while a suspension failure cost him victory in 2005.

"It was great to win two races in a row: the team and I needed that," admitted Raikkonen. "The team has done fantastic preparation for these two races, but we must continue to work hard to stay ahead of our main rivals.

"Let's hope we can make a hat-trick: just like in Magny-Cours and in Silverstone I have never had a perfect race there with my former team. It's time to succeed.

"The second part of the championship has begun and you can see how the performance pendulum is easily swinging from one side to the other. Obviously I want it to stay on our side and that I continue to win: and at the end of the season we'll do the calculations."

Raikkonen was glad to prove doubters wrong with his two victories in a row, after four races where he finished outside the top three.

"After the two races in North America people thought we had nothing more to give," said Raikkonen.

"But now, after two wins they celebrate us like kings...in the end not that much has changed other then that I feel happy, obviously. It was great winning in France and it was nice to repeat that in England only eight days later.

"I came close a couple of times on both of these tracks, but I could never complete the mission. Now with Ferrari, it worked out, finally. I especially enjoyed winning at Silverstone, at one of the tracks I always liked. I love this track, its challenges and its atmosphere.

"More important than the fact that we beat McLaren at home is that we got some points for both classifications in the last two races."