Engine worries weigh on Kimi

LONDON: Kimi Raikkonen’s hopes of following up his triumphant Ferrari debut with another win in Malaysia this weekend could be dented before qualifying has even started.

The Finn fears his car’s engine was damaged in the Australian season-opener and could need replacing, a change that would incur a 10-place penalty on the starting grid for the second round of the Formula One season.

“There is some concern,” Raikkonen told the Ferrari Web site (www.ferrariworld.com) as he prepared to return to the Sepang circuit where he took his first grand prix victory with McLaren in 2003.

“We had a slight leakage of water during the last part of the race (in Melbourne) and the team told me to slow down.”

“The engine has since been checked in the works (factory) and they also did some simulations,” he added.

“Obviously we hope that the engine will make it through the whole weekend and that we don’t have to change it before the qualifying.”

“In case we have to change it, obviously it would be a bit different for us... then the aim would be to reach a good result, the best one possible.”

Raikkonen will also have to contend with a fired-up Felipe Massa, the Brazilian determined not to be left behind by his new team mate after a gearbox problem ruined his Australian Grand Prix, as well as McLaren rivals Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

It remains to be seen also just how much the governing body’s decision to crack down since Melbourne on the use of so-called flexi floors in cars will affect the leading teams in the race on Sunday.