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Raikkonen keeping expectations in check after strong first week

Raikkonen keeping expectations in check after strong first week

21-02-2019 18:10 Last update: 18:05
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Jake Williams-Smith

Kimi Raikkonen may have covered a lot of miles in his first week with Alfa Romeo but the Finn is keeping things typically cool and is maintaining realistic expectations going into the 2019 season.

Alfa Romeo has surprised many in the F1 paddock with not only how quick their times have been throughout testing, but the design of the car itself looks to be a very unique and aggressive interpretation of the rules, both factors that have many tipping the team to be best of the rest come Melbourne.

Although many in the media have been talking up the team's chances all week, Raikkonen believes that it is still too early to tell just how competitive the team is.

"We’ve been quite pleased with how the car is feeling, so far," he said.

"We’ve done a lot of running, which is always a good thing. But it’s very early days and we’re still learning.

“It’s impossible to say from testing. We still have a lot of things to work on. More work to be done than maybe in a bigger team. But I think so far it has been good.

“Maybe we’ll get some idea from next week. "But for sure, in two or three weeks - whenever the first race is - we’ll find out.

"Where we’re going to end up in the first race, we have no idea. So far everything is OK.

“I don’t have any expectation. We can only do our best. But I think the team has built a good car, and I think that’s a good starting point."

Raikkonen's fastest time of the week came on day three, posting a 1:17.762, a time good enough for second place that day behind the Toro Rosso of Alexander Albon.