World champion Kimi Raikkonen was in buoyant mood following a successful three-day test at the Bahrain circuit.
The Ferrari driver set a blistering pace during the three days of the test, beating last year's pole position time by over two seconds as the Italian squad continued making progress with their new F2008.
Raikkonen said the car felt very good both in qualify and race trim, and he reckons he could easily go even quicker.
"We are very consistent," Raikkonen told Gazzetta dello Sport after the test. "To drive a car like this F2008 is fantastic. It's already really quick.
"But the most interesting aspect is that I noticed this quickness in both race trim and in the more extreme qualifying trim. And in both situations it's always very easy on the tyres, it doesn't destroy them.
"This is because it transmits the power in a balanced way: its traction is perfect. In other words, the package works in harmony. I'm certain that the next three days of testing can only confirm this."
He added: "I went quicker and quicker and I know I can easily improve a bit more, because the car is excellent, and because the team have scheduled everything precisely, the progress too.
"This is most of all why I'm satisfied: we know exactly where we are and we aren't improving just by chance."
The Finn, however, was cautious when judging Ferrari's form compared to their rivals.
"Well, I don't know about that," he said when asked if Ferrari were ahead of their rivals. "We'll see only at the first GP."


Source: Autosport