Raikkonen 'finally' getting comfortable with Ferrari's F14 T

Kimi Raikkonen says he is 'finally' acclimatising to Ferrari's 2014 car and getting on top of the set-up and handling issues which have plagued him so far this season.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's 2014 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, Raikkonen pinpointed qualifying in Singapore as the chief cause for his optimism.

"In Singapore, we finally had the speed to put together a quick single flying lap in qualifying, as the car behaved the way I'd been hoping for," the Finn told Ferrari's official website.

"It was just a shame we could not maximise the performance of the car because of a minor issue before the last flying lap (in Q3). It meant we could not do much in the race, as I was stuck in traffic and couldn't exploit my pace.

"But for me, the positive thing that weekend was I finally had a good feeling from the car, something I had been waiting for a long time this year."

Raikkonen admitted it is not yet clear how Ferrari will match up to their rivals in Japan this weekend, but said the technical Suzuka circuit suits his driving style - as evidenced by his past success at the track.

"It's a high power circuit, but also technically very challenging, so we are looking forward to see how our car goes there compared to the front running teams," Raikkonen added.

"I like Suzuka a lot. It's an old-school type of racing circuit, the sort that always gives me the best feeling. I'd have to say my favourite is Spa-Francorchamps, but Suzuka comes very near in my ranking. Apart from my first ever time in Japan and Suzuka, when I was driving for Sauber and had to retire after crashing with Alesi, I have finished every single race in Japan and I have got some really good results, as well. Winning the 2005 race was one of my best ever drives."

Though Raikkonen has scored points in all but four Grands Prix this year, he has struggled to match team mate Fernando Alonso. The 2007 world champion sits 11th in the drivers' championship, on 45 points, while Alonso is fourth, on 133 points.