Brawn: "He is certainly driving better"

Ross Brawn believes that Kimi Raikkonen is in his best form since returning to Ferrari in 2014. The Finn narrowly lost out to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes at the Italian Grand Prix after a strategy and on-track battle the Finn came off second best in.

The former Ferrari technical director claimed that not only is Raikkonen's a welcome change but his demenour also, adding that the charasmatic Finn has opened up more so than when Brawn was last in F1 as a part of Mercedes.

“Since I returned to Formula One last year, I’ve noticed how Kimi has lightened up,” he said after the Italian Grand Prix to the media.

“It can be spotted in a host of little things, such as spending a bit more time signing autographs or smiling for cameras that in the past would usually have only elicited a scowl.

“This year, he is certainly driving better than at any time since he returned to Ferrari (in 2014) and maybe another chance will come along soon.”

Raikkonen looks set to be replaced at Ferrari by Charles Leclerc for 2019, a move that has not proved popular with fans of the Ferrari driver, and the rumours have even prompted fan-organised petitions to help the Finn stay at the Ferrari team for next season.