Raikkonen keen to let the racing do the talking

Kimi Raikkonen is refusing to make any predictions about whether Ferrari could have the might to challenge Mercedes for the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship, despite Sebastian Vettel's assertion the Scuderia is closing the gap.

After a positive pre-season testing with the new SF16-H, Raikkonen has suggested the car represents an improvement over its race winning predecessor but declined to pare it down into a firm prediction of whether it is enough to challenge Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

It is a view he maintains ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, saying he cannot say where Ferrari is until the lights go out come Sunday.

"We don't know where we are. People keep asking where we are but it hasn't changed at all since testing, nobody really knows. We will have an idea this weekend but hopefully we are strong than the last couple of years. Time will tell."

Similarly, Raikkonen says he will reserve judgement on the new qualifying format and the move to ban radio communications during races.

"Is it going to be more difficult or more different, I don't know how it will work out. If there are no issues with anything it shouldn't be a lot different but if there are a lot of things going on in the race itself, it can make it quite complicated.

"It is one of those things that we don't know how it will pan out. Qualifying, no idea. I know as much as other people. We have to see how it pans out and what the difference is. I expect less cars at the end of qualifying, but the first few minutes there will be more cars on the circuit. But whether it's going to be worse or better, we will have to see."