Raikkonen rules out fighting for title

The British team are yet to win a race this season, and Raikkonen has finished on the podium only twice in six races. In Barcelona, where he won last season, the Finn finished in a distant fifth position behind the two Renaults and the two Ferraris.

The McLaren driver has scored 27 points, the same amount that separates him from championship leader Fernando Alonso, and also the same number of points he had scored after six races in 2005.

Coincidentally, Alonso has 54 points so far, the same number he had last year at this point.

In 2005, however, Raikkonen had already scored two wins.

Raikkonen, runner-up to Alonso last season, believes the Barcelona circuit highlighted McLaren's flaws, and the Finn believes only Renault and Ferrari will fight for this year's title.

"This is an unforgiving track where you can't hide your flaws," Raikkonen was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "If you don't have a good car, you don't go anywhere. That's why on other tracks we managed to stay close to Ferrari and Renault, while here we were never in the game.

"I'll only say that we had a lot of understeer and it was difficult to drive, we lack a bit of everything. Things should be going better in Monaco, but I'm not under the illusion that it will be a big step forward.

"The title battle will be fought between Ferrari and Renault because they always get to the end of the races and they are always fighting for victory and podiums. Me? I'll look for winning some races. At least I'll try."

Raikkonen, whose contract with McLaren expires this year, is yet to announce his plans for the future.

There are 12 races left in the season.