© Getty Images Enlarge

Kimi Raikkonen believes Ferrari needs to target a big Energy Recovery System (ERS) improvement if it wants to close the gap to its rivals this winter.

Ferrari's lack of straight-line speed was brutally exposed at Monza, where Raikkonen picked up the team's two points by finishing ninth while Fernando Alonso suffered a retirement with an ERS issue. Though Raikkonen expects better from Singapore onwards for Ferrari he feels the issue could hamper the team until the end of the engine freeze this winter.

"I think in the race conditions it's one point that we need to improve a lot," Raikkonen said about the team's ERS. "But obviously now we are in the season it is not very easy, we know that, but I'm 100% sure we can make a good step over the winter.

"We improve those areas all the time but if you look at certain teams and certain engine manufacturers over one lap we are not too bad but then in the race distance we seem to be struggling in certain places like Monza. It's been better, for sure."

Raikkonen thinks Spa and Monza are as tough as it will get this year for Ferrari, but still does not expect a drastic improvement given the team's struggles this season.

When asked if he was optimistic about Singapore, given that he started 13th and finished third for Lotus there last year, Raikkonen said: "It's hard to say as it's a different year and different car. We expected Spa and Monza to be difficult, Spa was surprisingly good but there were some issues with the front guys which helped a bit.

"The circuits coming up will suit us better; not so fast and not such long straights. But we have to go there and see how we are going but I expect us to be in a stronger position."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.