Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen reckons the pecking order in Formula 1 this season may not become clear until the second round of the campaign in China.
Räikkönen led the timesheets over the course of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, setting a best of 1:18.634, as Ferrari displayed encouraging pace and reliability with its SF70H.
Ferrari is bidding to recover from a disappointing 2016 campaign, in which it finished a winless third in the standings, with Räikkönen failing to take a sole podium after the Austrian Grand Prix.
Räikkönen believes Ferrari is starting from a stronger platform compared to the corresponding test sessions 12 months ago, but reckons it may be some time before the true order of the pack is revealed, due to the sometimes misleading nature of the Australian Grand Prix.
“There’s a good feeling with this car and that’s the most important thing,” said Räikkönen, whose most recent victory came at the event four years go.
“We have been reliable for almost all of the days of testing and that is another good sign of the great work the team has done over the winter.
“We are starting from a stronger base than last year: but it’s really too early to say how fast the car is compared to the others.
“Perhaps even Melbourne won’t give a 100 per cent precise picture of the situation, because the first race is always a bit unusual, we might have to wait until China.”
Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit opens the 20-round 2017 season next weekend.
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