Kimi Raikkonen will use up his one free engine change of the season for the British Grand Prix, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali reckons.


The world champion looks set to become the first leading runner to take advantage of the new-for-2008 rule, which allows teams the chance to make one unscheduled change of a power plant without their driver receiving a grid penalty.


Raikkonen limped home to second place at the last round in France after the exhaust on his F2008 broke mid-way through the race, a problem which handed victory to team-mate Felipe Massa.


Domenicali has confirmed Ferrari will take no chances with the unit at Silverstone and is likely to fit a new one a race ahead of schedule.
“As far as Kimi's engine is concerned and keeping the rules in mind, to avoid a penalty, I think that we will use a new unit to try to reduce the risk," he said in an interview with Ferrari’s press office.


While Raikkonen will have a brand new engine to unleash on the fast, sweeping Silverstone circuit, Massa continues with the same one from France meaning Kimi could in theory enjoy a small power advantage.


For the other title contenders, BMW’s Robert Kubica also completes the two-race cycle for his engine this weekend but Lewis Hamilton has a fresh Mercedes unit in his McLaren MP4-23.