Rejuvenated Raikkonen targets podium place at Spa

KIMI RAIKKONEN has set his sights on a hat-trick of podium finishes this weekend despite Ferrari’s focus now firmly being on 2010.

With the Maranello marque deciding recently both Formula One world titles were out of reach, the team opted to stop development on the current car and pour their resources into next year’s model.

The hope is that by making an early start, unlike last season when Felipe Massa fought for the championship through to the final bend of the last race, Ferrari will return to the front again.

That has not prevented Raikkonen from upholding Ferrari’s honour in the last two grands prix, finishing second and third in Hungary and Valencia.

The Finn now heads to Spa this weekend, scene of the Belgian Grand Prix where last season he crashed out in a stunning last-lap duel with Lewis Hamilton, determined to maintain his and Ferrari’s upturn in fortunes.

“With the points we gained (in Valencia) we are still ahead of McLaren in the constructors’ championship,” remarked Raikkonen.

“This is our goal as a team, although it will be very difficult to reach, considering we stopped developing this car, concentrating on the one for the upcoming season.

“So the main goal is to maintain our standard of the last few races, which means we have to try to get on the podium again.

“I have always loved racing at Spa where I’ve won many times since I started my career in the smaller racing series.

“I really like driving here, although 44 laps might be not enough!

“Last year everything went up in smoke due to the rain at the end of the race and I ran into a wall. I had set my all on victory and I didn’t have anything to lose.

“This year the situation is slightly different because we don’t have a car able to compete at the highest performance level.

“But we’ll give it our all – and more – for a good result.”