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The 2015 Formula 1 season has been "painful sometimes" for Kimi Raikkonen because he has been closer to the pace but still short of results, says the Ferrari driver.

After ending 2014 12th in the championship without a single podium, Raikkonen has improved to fifth so far this season, but has still only been on the podium twice compared to new team-mate Sebastian Vettel's 13 rostrum visits - which include three grand prix wins.

Asked by Autosport how he assessed his own performance at the moment, Raikkonen replied: "In many ways a lot better, but still the results are not what I want, for many different reasons.

"As a team we have been much stronger, compared to last year, when we were struggling with the speed.

"This year the speed is pretty OK, but the results still not there where I want it to be.

"Definitely we're doing right things. It's painful sometimes, but that's how it is in F1.

"You make a mistake, you pay the price and that's fair enough.

"I've been in positions like this before and I'm sure we can keep going in the right direction and make sure we are more ready and making better decisions and better results next year."

He said the key to improving that form in 2016 was nothing more complicated than minimising mistakes on both his part and Ferrari's so he could get more clean runs through grand prix weekends.

"We have all of the theories," said Raikkonen.

"Obviously we haven't finished many races, we made mistakes, some issues myself, sometimes with the car, but we have to minimise all of the mistakes, it doesn't matter who makes them.

"The speed is there, we just have to put the results there and I'm sure we will then get what we deserve.

"It's just too many things have not gone as we planned. There are not a lot of things to tidy up, but I'm sure we can."

CHASSIS FOCUS THIS WINTER

Ferrari's 2015 resurgence owed much to significant gains in engine performance.

While further development in that area is on the agenda for the winter, team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said making sure the chassis matched those strides was a priority in Ferrari's efforts to gain on Mercedes.

"We are looking forward to improve the car in every single part," said Arrivabene.

"The engine was the big improvement for this year and next year we are working very hard on all of the other parts of the car."