Engine not to blame for Kimi struggle – rival

(GMM) Speculation that Kimi Raikkonen's quest for Sepang victory was ruined by a compromised Ferrari engine has been rubbished.

The fact that the Australian GP winner will get a 'new' engine in Bahrain is making many headlines this week, but Renault's engine boss Denis Chevrier denies that the "compromises" made by Ferrari in Malaysia are likely to have overly halted Raikkonen's true pace.

The Frenchman slammed media gossip that Kimi's fragile V8 power plant would have been de-tuned by as much as 75 horse power for last Sunday's race.

"The normal thing would be to increase cooling, reduce the rpm, little things like that," Chevrier told the Spanish newspaper 'As' when asked about what extra precautions Ferrari is likely to have made.

Chevrier explained that if rumors of a 17,500rpm limit for Kimi were true, he would been slowed by about two seconds per lap.

Indeed, Ferrari boss Jean Todt estimated Kimi's engine-handicap at a mere tenth per lap.

But Raikkonen himself insisted that he is looking forward to having a fresh engine fitted for Bahrain, after explaining that racing in Malaysia felt like "playing a football game defending a goalless draw."

He added: "We will get a new fresh engine in Bahrain. That makes me feel very optimistic."