Raikkonen not expecting quick Ferrari fightback

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Kimi Raikkonen has said that Ferrari cannot expect to fix its problems in a matter of weeks, and must instead focus on a long-term plan.

The Finn joined the team at the beginning of the year, and, alongside Fernando Alonso, he was tasked with returning the team to the front of the grid in 2014. However, he has scored just 17 points, and currently lies 12th in the drivers’ standings.

“We have issues, and we are not as fast as we want to be, and we just have to fix them obviously,” Raikkonen explained. “We would be happy [if] we were winning races, and we’re not, so it’s those things that we have to fix.

“It’s many small things, and when we fix those we’ll be where we want to be. It’s a long process. It won’t happen in three weeks. I think we’re never happy until we’re winning races and championships. There’s always things you can fix.”

When asked whether he thought he could win a grand prix in 2014, the Finn was blunt: “I have no interest in start guessing here. Hopefully we’ll improve.”

Of course, the sport is currently being dominated by Mercedes, and Raikkonen does not see that changing in the near future.

“It’s very hard for anybody to challenge them [Mercedes] for the championship,” he said. “I may be wrong, but that’s how it goes. In the past, you’ve seen it can all change. Our aim is to fix the things that we think is the issue and get better all the time, and do the best that we can do racing.”

Raikkonen won the race back in 2005, and finished on the podium one year later. His record around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is impressive, scoring points in all but one of his races there, and he will be hoping to finish in the top ten once again this weekend.

Seattle Supercross by the numbers: Three riders separated by 17 points

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Three riders remain locked in a tight battle with 17 points separating the leader Cooper Webb from third-place Chase Sexton and these are only a few Supercross numbers to consider entering Seattle.

Seattle Supercross numbers
Chase Sexton made a statement in Detroit with his second win of 2023. – Feld Motor Sports

For the fifth time in 10 rounds. Sexton, Webb, and Eli Tomac shared the podium in Detroit. Between them, the trio has taken 23 podiums, leaving only seven for the remainder of the field. Jason Anderson, Ken Roczen and Justin Barcia have two each with Aaron Plessinger scoring the other.

Webb and Tomac won the last four championships with two apiece in alternating years, but they were not one another’s primary rival for most of those seasons. On the average, however, the past four years show an incredible similarity with average points earned of 21.0 for Webb and 21.3 for Tomac. With five wins so far this season, Tomac (23 wins) leads Webb (19) in victories but Webb (43) edges Tomac (41) in podium finishes during this span.

Tomac has won two of the last three Seattle races and those two wins in this stadium are topped only by James Stewart. Fittingly, if Tomac gets a third win this week, he will tie Stewart for second on the all-time wins’ list. Tomac tied Ricky Carmichael for third with 48 wins at Oakland and took sole possession of that spot with his Daytona win.

Sexton still has a lot to say and after winning last week in Detroit, he is speaking up. The Supercross numbers are against him entering Seattle, however, because a points’ deficit this large after Round 10 has been erased only once. In 1983 David Bailey was 47 points behind Bob Hannah, and like Sexton he was also in third place. Bailey took the points’ lead with one race remaining.

The seven points Sexton was penalized last week for jumping in a red cross flag section in Detroit could prove extremely costly.

In fact, it has been a series of mistakes that has cost Sexton the most. In the last two weeks, he lost 10 points with a 10th-place finish to go with his penalty. Erase those, and all three riders hold their fate in their hands.

Plessinger’s heartbreak in Detroit is still fresh, but the upside of his run is that was his best of the season and could turn his fortunes around. Prior to that race, he led only seven laps in three mains. He was up front for 20 laps in Detroit with five of those being the fastest on the track.

Last week’s win by Hunter Lawrence tied him with his brother Jett Lawrence for 17th on the all-time wins’ list. With the focus shifting to 250 West for the next two rounds, Jett has a great opportunity to pull back ahead. The real test will be at the first East / West Showdown in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 22.

Last Five Seattle Winners

450s
2022: Eli Tomac
2019: Marvin Musquin
2018: Eli Tomac
2017: Marvin Musquin
2014: Ryan Villopoto

250s
2022: Hunter Lawrence
2019: Dylan Ferrandis
2018: Aaron Plessinger
2017: Aaron Plessinger
2014: Cole Seely

By the Numbers

Detroit
Indianapolis
Daytona
Arlington
Oakland
Tampa
Houston
Anaheim 2
San Diego

More SuperMotocross coverage

How to Watch Seattle Supercross
Dylan Ferrandis may return before SX finale
SMX develops “Leader Lights”
Power Rankings after Detroit
Hunter Lawrence defends Haiden Deegan
Results and points after Detroit
Chase Sexton wins in Detroit, penalized seven points