Kimi Raikkonen has some homework to do before the next race in Canada according to Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.
The Italian has urged the Finn to up his game on a Saturday following some poor qualifying performances which have them hampered his race, wasting his good Sunday pace.
Raikkonen’s best qualifying performance this season was fourth in Bahrain, but his average starting position has been seventh. Team-mate Sebastian Vettel’s average is just 3rd which includes two front-row starts.
QUALIFYING PERFORMANCE (VETTEL V RAIKKONEN)
Therefore Arrivabene has told Raikkonen to up his game so he can make the most of his race pace which is more often than not as quick as Vettel’s.
“The problem with Kimi [in Monaco] was qualifying,” explained the 58-year-old. “If I have to give him some homework then he has to write 100 times ‘I have to be better in qualifying’.
“During the race you saw, at a certain part of the race, he had the same pace as Sebastian.
“So if he improves in qualifying then he will have no problems in a race because Kimi in a race is super and he can do a good job.”
However Arrivabene recognises the fact that Ferrari must up its game on Saturday as well, to give both Raikkonen and Vettel a chance at starting on pole at future races.
“Mercedes are very quick in qualifying, and this is an indication for us on where to focus our attention for the future to work,” he added.
“If you are going to start in a good position on the grid then the race is going to be easier.
“When you have air in front of you, and not other competitors, it’s good for you and the tyres because with someone in front of you the consumption of the tyres goes down very fast. So for us it’s something we have to work on.”
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