Kimi Räikkönen has emphasised that Ferrari does not need to undergo an overhaul of its approach after missing out on this year’s titles, insisting that it merely needs to address “small things”.
Räikkönen’s team-mate, Sebastian Vettel, triumphed in three of the opening six races, as he led the Drivers’ standings, while Ferrari headed Mercedes in the Constructors’ battle.
However, Ferrari has won only once since, courtesy of Vettel in Hungary, while a dismal sequence of events for the outfit in Asia scuppered its championship prospects.
Mercedes wrapped up the Constructors’ crown in the United States, as Hamilton clinched his fourth world title at the following event in the Mexico, ending the championship battle with two rounds to go.
Räikkönen, though, has outlined that Ferrari merely needs to address minor issues, rather than undergoing seismic year-on-year changes.
“I think we started pretty badly – we were not really where we should have been – a personal feeling on my side,” he said.
“We were not really happy where the set-up was and it took quite a long time to figure it out and then since then it’s been better but then we had too many DNFs for many different reasons.
“But I think, as a team, we’ve come a long way from year to year and also from last year, made a good step, obviously not enough for what we want but as Ferrari we want to win both championships.
“I think we had all the tools this year, we just need to tidy up things and not make mistakes nor have issues on any side, not from our side as drivers or from the team side.
“These are just small things which in the end played a big part this year, who won the championship and which way it went but I think we have all the people, we have the tools and we have a great car.
“There are still two races to go and even though the championships are done we try to do the same work we always do and try to win races and then, obviously, we start from zero next year so hopefully we will be up there.”
