Without a Merc engine passing will be tricky - Raikkonen

Without a Merc engine passing will be tricky - Raikkonen 

ESPN Staff 
October 11, 2014 

Raikkonen believes Mercedes-powered drivers will be among the only ones able to overtake in Sunday's Russian Grand Prix. 

Drivers are not expecting it to be easy to overtake during the inaugural race at the Sochi Autodrom, with the lack of passing opportunities and minimal tyre degradation likely to make it difficult to pull off a clean move. Raikkonen, who will start eighth on Sunday, believes only the more powerful Mercedes-engined cars will have the necessary top speed to try a move. 

"It depends on the car," he said. "As we've seen at other circuits some of the Mercedes cars can overtake more easily than us. Probably we will make one [pit] stop or maybe two, but it's too early to say until the beginning of the race tomorrow. 

"At least yesterday [in practice] it was not easy to overtake; I kept following cars and getting close but there was no way to get around it. Without a Mercedes engine it will not be very easy. Obviously we have DRS but if the cars are not close behind each other then it makes no difference to anyone. We have to see." 

Raikkonen said Ferrari's lack of pace in qualifying was disappointing but also to be expected after a difficult season. 

"It's obviously not where we want to be, we want to be at the front. But the speed is more or less there. The car was not ideal but much better than yesterday. We still have some difficulties trying to get the front working and a combination with the rear. It is what it is and we got more or less the most out of it. 

"Obviously it is not a happy place to be, but at this time of the year and with the things that have been going on it is more or less the best we could have done today. Hopefully tomorrow we can improve." 

Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/russia/motorsport/story/179407.html#J3BzBXgZQuMLJduw.99

Estou realmente pensando duas vezes se vou acordar amanhã para ver esta corrida. Que ânimo você tem quando o piloto pelo qual você torce fala algo assim? #zero

Só por você mesmo este ano Räikkönen... só por você!

Beijinhos, Ludy