This weekend will be better - Raikkonen

The photographers like the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro press meetings here on the Ile St Laurent because the drivers sit and talk to the media against a backdrop of plants and bushes which makes a change from the more formal surroundings usually used for these meetings. By now, Kimi Raikkonen knows what to expect from these sessions, given his run of bad luck in the championship, but he would not be drawn into making any rash promises.

"I came here on Tuesday and I feel we have a good chance here but it is always difficult to make an accurate prediction before the race," began Raikkonen. "I hope it goes well and that I get more out of the race than I have at the last two. With the gap in the points in the championship, this race could be important but I am not thinking about it in those terms and will simply be trying to win the race. I think the F2007 will suit this circuit and I also feel that since the last race it has also suited me better. Of course I would rather be in front of the points table and I will be trying to get back up there. In Monaco, we had good speed but I made a mistake, which is why I could only think I was lucky to come away with one point after starting so far back. I think this weekend will be better. There are two teams and four guys who can win the race. I was not surprised that McLaren was so strong in Monaco, but I expect that situation to change here. Last year, the track surface started to break up during the race, so I hope they have fixed it for this year and we can have a proper race."

The media would not let go of the points situation and Raikkonen informed them he was remaining calm. "It all depends what the other guys do. They only need to have one bad race and it can change the look of the championship completely. All I can do is the best I can and worry about those things later. I think the next few races will help to give us a clearer picture of how the championship might go. There is still a long part of the season ahead of us and this situation is not the end of the world. I don't really feel any pressure about this, even though I always expect a lot from myself and get angry with myself if things do not work out if it is my fault. I like this circuit. It is a special place, I think we have a good package and we will know more after tomorrow's first practice session. We had a good test in Ricard, with the car in Montreal set-up before the Monaco GP when I think we found a good set up and the car was more suited to my driving style. The car is getting where I want it to be, so I think we can have a strong weekend here." The Ferrari man was also quick to dismiss speculation in the press about his position within the Scuderia. "I don't read the papers and so I don't care what they say. What matters is that the team is behind me and nothing changes inside the team and we are all working together." As for any chance of the other teams joining the current battle between Ferrari and its main rival, Raikkonen had this to say: "BMW has been getting some good results, even if they are not yet on the same level as the two top teams, but we will have to watch them and be careful because they could give us a hard time at some races."