Raikkonen still has hunger for Grand Prix victories

Kimi Raikkonen has claimed that he still has the desire and hunger to claim the flag in Grand Prix races despite not winning a race since 2013, as he comes off a campaign which was his best performing in five years in terms of points.

The past campaign saw Ferrari and Mercedes battle for the driver's and constructors' championships, but it was Sebastian Vettel, not Raikkonen, who was Scuderia's best performing driver against Lewis Hamilton of the Silver Arrows.

Raikkonen's contract expires at the end of next season, and as he prepares for his 16th year of competition in Formula One, he has assured fans that he would not continue in the sport if the hunger was not there to emerge victorious in races.

"I wouldn't be here or next year on the circuit [if] I didn't have the hunger to win," he told Motorsport.tv's weekly programme The Flying Lap.

"I enjoy racing. I wouldn't be shy to say it's the only reason. I want to be in F1. So long as that [hunger] is there, it's the reason why I'll give my best."

Raikkonen believes that the key to any success in 2018 for Ferrari will lie within a strong start to the campaign, as he thinks they did not hit the ground quick enough in 2017.

"We started the year a bit slowly," Raikkonen continued.

"We had some good moments, but far from what we wanted if you take the whole year.

"We just need to put things correct for the first race.

"If you don't get things perfectly, it will cost you a lot of points."