Raikkonen about Alfa Romeo muddling on: 'A lot of work to do'

“In 2019 we did a decent job, I think. Of course, you then start to hope that things will go better in the following season. Unfortunately that didn't happen," Raikkonen began his analysis in an interview with Speedweek.com. “But that's the way it works in this sport - in some years it goes well, in others it is more difficult."

Victim of the Ferrari engine

Alfa Romeo, like Haas, is a customer team of Ferrari, and has suffered a major blow with the mandatory downsizing of the Ferrari engine. Raikkonen is also aware that much of the pain in 2020 was caused by this, but he says a lack of downforce was also a problem. “The vehicle balance was often okay, but we weren't too fast. Basically it's the same every time in Formula 1 - you need more engine power and more downforce. That makes everything easier,” said the Finn. 

Raikkonen also confessed that he already had a bad feeling about the Alfa Romeo during the winter tests in Barcelona in February 2020. “During the tests in Barcelona we sensed that we were not at the level that we wanted to achieve. This is of course disappointing. We have a lot of work to do for 2021," Kimi stated.