The Ferrari driver shares the lead of the 2008 championship with his team-mate as well as Lewis Hamilton, but if not for strategy errors (Silverstone), a broken exhaust (Magny-Cours) and a pitlane crash (Montreal), he surely would have collected yet more points.
Raikkonen said ahead of the forthcoming Hockenheim event: “We really need to win this one.”
Many insiders are predicting another strong outing for Ferrari’s title rival McLaren, but Ferrari also looked competitive at last week’s Hockenheim test.
While his main World Championship rival Lewis Hamilton weathered the storms at Silverstone and Monaco, the Finn has found it difficult to keep up in tricky conditions.
A hot weekend at Hockenheim will play into Ferrari’s hands as the F2008 is easier on tyres than the McLaren.
Although the forecast is mixed, he said: “I hope it will be hot, as it is usually is at Hockenheim. Our car goes really well at high temperatures, and although it is difficult to overtake, qualifying doesn’t determine the result at other tracks. However, starting from the front row will make life much easier.”
He added: “Neither Hockenheim nor the Nurburgring have ever brought me luck, although I really like them and I’ve always been competitive at both.
“My strong point in Germany is getting the pole position, which I have managed to claim in the last two races, but for one reason or another victory has slipped through my fingers.”
Unperturbed by his current form which has seen him finish in the top three just twice in the last five races, Raikkonen knows “every point will be important, just like last year”.
“I’ve always said the championship will be very uncertain,” added Raikkonen.
The world champion is in a three-way tie at the top of the F1 driver’s championship with Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa and McLaren rival Hamilton.
Brit Hamilton has his nose-cone in front by virtue of his three wins and two other podium finishes this season, while Raikkonen has not tasted victory in five races since his April triumph in Spain.
But the Finn claims all that is about to change in Germany, even though he has an appalling record there.
“With three drivers tied on top spot, and a fourth who is only a couple of points behind, that is an interesting situation.”
But Raikkonen will require a drastic improvement in his luck if he is to challenge at Hockenheim. He has been forced to retire in six of his seven appearances in the German Grand Prix.
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