‘McLaren has handling problem’

KIMI RAIKKONEN fears McLaren’s dream of victory in their 600th Formula One start could be scuppered by handling problems at the Nurburgring.

The Finn was off the pace in practice for the European Grand Prix yesterday, finishing the two sessions eighth and 13th respectively, and complained of car problems.

Despite pre-season optimism, McLaren have not challenged for a win in the four races so far this year ahead of their engine partner Mercedes’ home grand prix at the Nurburgring.

With Raikkonen 18 points adrift of world champion Fernando Alonso. he badly needs a win to re-ignite his title challenge, but the 26-year-old sounded a downbeat note today.

“The engine feels okay. It is the handling that is difficult. We have tried to fix it, but it is not the first time we have had the problem,” he said.

That should be music to the ears of Renault ace Alonso, who was the fastest race driver in second practice.

But the Spaniard suspects McLaren, who have an improved Mercedes engine this weekend, may be playing down their chances, hoping to catch Renault and Ferrari by surprise.

The European Grand Prix is an important race for Mercedes, who have introduced a better engine this weekend, and Alonso doubts Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya are as slow as yesterday’s times suggest.

He fears McLaren, who were two seconds off the pace yesterday, were sandbagging and will only reveal their true speed in qualifying today.

“It depends on the fuel they have. It could be very slow, not very good weekend for them or it could be a very good weekend,” he said.

Williams tester Alex Wurz set the fastest lap of the day with a lap of one minute 32.079 seconds in first practice.

Michael Schumacher set the quickest lap for a race driver to suggest Ferrari’s good form at Imola can be maintained.

Schumacher, who won two weeks ago to move into second in the championship, believes Ferrari can put Renault in the shade again.

“We are confident and from what we have seen we are also competitive here. If we can put all the pieces of the jigsaw together then we can fight for the win,” he said.

Alonso was second fastest of the racers, across the two sessions, with Honda’s Jenson Button third. Scotsman David Coulthard struggled today, failing to set a time in the first session before going 19th in the second.