Räikkönen believes Ferrari will return to top in Bahrain

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According to Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari had to resort to "compromises" with his car in order to ensure the Finn would scrape together some points in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
      After these measures, Räikkönen was the third man to pass under the chequered flag in Sunday's race, behind the McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso of Spain and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain.
     
"I am not willing to discuss what these compromises were, but I do believe that we will do better in a week's time in Bahrain", stated Räikkönen, whose vehicle suffered from engine and drivability problems over the weekend.
      With his victory in Malaysia, the reigning World Champion Alonso slipped past Räikkönen in the driver's table and now has 18 points to the Finn's 16 points.
      The rookie Hamilton, who has had nothing short of a breathtaking start to his F1 career - finishing third in Australia and second in Malaysia - is currently third in the driver's standings, only two points behind Räikkönen.
      "Difficult weekend all round. We simply did not have enough speed. I have to be content with the points", Räikkönen summarised.
     
For McLaren the victory was sweet indeed, for some time has elapsed since the British team last conquered the top steps of the podium. The last time a McLaren car tasted victory was in October 2005, when Räikkönen himself collected the trophy in the Japanese GP.
      McLaren's previous 1-2 victory, by Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia and Kimi Räikkönen, was also from 2005.
     
Another rookie, the Finnish Renault pilot Heikki Kovalainen, succeeded somewhat better in Malaysia than in the Australian season-opener last month. On Sunday Kovalainen came home eighth to win his first F1 point.
      "Though I just landed in the points, it is a bit difficult to celebrate too much, for in speed we are way behind the top teams", Kovalainen confessed.
      Two races into the season, and of the two talked-about F1 débutants, Hamilton is clearly ahead of Kovalainen with 14 points against the Finn's solitary one.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Räikkönen in a league of his own in Australia (19.3.2007)

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