Raikkonen tips BMW to challenge
World champion Kimi Raikkonen believes the pace and power of the BMW Sauber will provide Ferrari with a real challenge in 2008. Raikkonen, who leads the drivers' championship, has been impressed with the performances of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld in the new BMW and is expecting a stern challenge from the duo in the year ahead.
Kubica produced an inspired drive in Bahrain last Sunday to land pole position before finishing third behind the two Ferrari's, while Heidfeld finished a place further back in fourth.
"The BMWs were very close," Raikkonen told Ferrari's official website. "I managed to pass Kubica, when he had some trouble: this was an important moment, because his race rhythm was very good.
"In the end I already said that in this season it will be very hard to gain every single place. It will be a very long and tough championship. I wouldn't be surprised if BMW won some races this year.
"There will be Grands Prix where we will be stronger and others where they will have an advantage; the same is true for McLaren, who remain very competitive."
The Finn revealed his disappointment at losing out in Bahrain to team-mate Felipe Massa, but insists he is not too downhearted after moving into the lead at the top of the drivers' championship.
"I want to win races and fight for the title: coming in second left me a bit disappointed," he added. "Sometimes certain weekends are just like that and the one in Bahrain was one of them.
"For one reason or the other, the Sakhir circuit does not seem to be very favourable to me. But there's still some satisfaction at the end of this Grand Prix: I'm leading the drivers' championship. When we think about how many points we gained in Melbourne this is a great result."
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