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Kimi Raikkonen admits it is taking him "way too long" to get on terms with the new Ferrari SF70H and start challenging team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the 2017 Formula 1 season.

Raikkonen looked to be getting on terms with Vettel in the second half of 2016, but he has struggled to keep pace with the German - who has won two of the first three races - this year.

"To be honest, it takes way too long," said Raikkonen, who is yet to stand on the podium this season.

"We're supposed to get it right straight away, and obviously we haven't.

"A lot of reasons but it didn't help in the last race [China], not driving the first day [because practice was abandoned].

"When you're going through some issues, you want to get track time."

Raikkonen, who struggled with understeer in Australia and China, says the problems holding him back were "much less" prevalent during the Bahrain GP weekend.

"I'm pretty happy with the car now," he said. "I feel that we are doing the absolutely right things.

"And in the race I felt the car was very good, but I made a mess in the first lap, putting ourselves in a difficult position."

Having now gone through another difficult grand prix weekend since his form was publicly questioned by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne after the Shanghai race, Raikkonen insists he has made progress - even if the results haven't reflected it.

He added: "It's just the small things now, in the big picture we are pretty much where we want to be - it's just that we need to fine-tune a few things.

"I don't think it's the big things but obviously it has cost us. It's taking too long, but nobody to complain [to], it's my job.

"Overall, yes, we are much happier with the things, but I cannot be very happy with the result.

"It's all big picture - when you look, it's been disappointing."

