Kimi - I want to win

Defending world champ concedes championship is now out of his hands

Last updated: 26th September 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kimi - I want to win

Raikkonen: Remains optimistic

Related links

Teams

Drivers

Also see

Ferrari ace Kimi Raikkonen wants to get back to winning ways in the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend after admitting his hopes of retaining the world crown are slim.

The Finn is sitting in fourth place in the standings with four races to go, and has to make up a massive 21 points on leader Lewis Hamilton.

While conceding this year's championship is now out of his hands, he just wants to taste victory again, after last being successful in the Spanish Grand Prix in April.

He told www.ferrariworld.com: "The most important thing is to win again. The situation in the championship is what it is and it doesn't depend any more only on my results, but of my competitors' results.

Not over

"In theory it's not over yet, but I don't have it under control any more."

He added: "We'll give it our best at Singapore, so that we can fight for the win, which still remains the main objective. We have to give it all in these four races and then we'll see what's going to happen.

"I've said it many times: victory is the only objective, the essence of motor racing. I'm not just here for driving, but I want to win."

But to win in Singapore, Raikkonen will have to master the unfamiliar Marina Bay street circuit.

The omens are not good - given he has not performed on other street circuits this year - but the Finn, who has signed a new contract with Ferrari, remains optimistic.

He said: "I've been waiting for September 28.

Pure emotion

"Of course when I think of the results I had this year on street circuits, I shouldn't be too optimistic, but I still like to race on this kind of track: it's pure emotion, when you find the right set up for the single-seater and race between the walls.

"I don't think that it will be a big problem that we race at night. They've done it already with motorbikes and it was a great experience.

"I'm someone who likes to sleep late. My body will adapt perfectly fine to this unusual time of day."