Raikkonen says 2019 rule changes have worked

Kimi Raikkonen believes the aerodynamic rule changes introduced for 2019 have succeeded in their mission of allowing Formula 1 cars to follow each other closer on-track. Simpler front wings, and larger DRS openings have been introduced this year in an attempt to boost overtaking.

Raikkonen has scored points in each of the opening two races of the season, finishing eighth in a Bahrain race which saw him execute two beautiful passes on the Toro Rosso pair of Alexander Albon and Daniil Kvyat.

Having raced across several eras of F1 machinery since his debut in 2001, Raikkonen's report of the 2019 iterations will be music to the ears of Liberty media and the FIA.

"Yeah, I think it's more close," he said. "Exits are still tricky, but you can get more close on the end of the corners and stuff like that.

"Low-speed corners we seem to still struggle, but maybe the conditions [in Bahrain] had an effect.

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"We can get closer, overtaking is still difficult, but I think it gives us a bit more chance."

Raikkonen also believes that F1's V6 Hybrid power units have now advanced to a point whereby they match the drivability of the V8s that went before, with greater familiarity up and down the grid hopefully making for better racing.

"Today when we go, at least what I remember, it's no different, everything works very nicely," he said. "Most of the time at least. On that side the driving itself is no different anymore.

"OK, the sound is different. But the driving itself, we do the same things, it's not like you do something completely different."

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