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Kimi eyeing Schumi's record

LONDON, England - Kimi Raikkonen has one of Michael Schumacher's Formula 1 records in his sights for this weekend (June 6-9, 2013) at the Canadian circuit where the now-retired seven-times World champion won more races than anybody else.

If Raikkonen (Lotus) finishes in the top 10 in Montreal he will equal Schumacher's record of 24 consecutive grands prix in the points - even if statistics are deceptive because scoring systems have changed.

'SOME DIFFICULTIES'

Naturally, the “Iceman” Raikkonen is nicknamed, is cool about the prospect. "I'm sure it will all stop at some point. Obviously we always try to get points and do good races but it can be some small part (that breaks) and it will stop."

The 2007 World champion's run almost ended in the 2013 Monaco GP when a collision with McLaren's Mexican Sergio Perez dropped him out of the points but, with fresh tyres and an insult or two hurled in Perez's direction, Raikkonen managed to scramble back to 10th.

Schumacher started his scoring run by winning the 2001 Hungarian GP for Ferrari and ended it with a sixth in Malaysia in 2003 - which was also Raikkonen's first F1 victory. He's second so far in the 2013 season after six races and began his current stretch of points-finishes in Bahrain in April 2012 and has now taken the chequered flag in 34 successive races - allowing for his break in 2010 and 2011.

GRUDGE AGAINST LEWIS

From 1960 to 2003 points went only to the top six. They were then extended to the top eight and from 2010 to the top 10. Under the systems used when Schumacher set his record, Raikkonen's current run would be a lot less special. The Finn was 10th in Monaco and Brazil at the end of the 2013 season. His 23-race run includes two sevenths, an eighth and a ninth.

Raikkonen won in Canada with McLaren in 2005 and has scored points on every visit, except in 2008 when his stationary Ferrari was rammed in the pits lane by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton. That memory lingers on.

He explained: "Many times the race has been quite a lottery as there seem to be different things which affect it. The weather can change a lot, sometimes the tyres or the track aren't working very well, sometimes there are a lot of pace-car sessions, or sometimes another driver runs into the back of you when you're waiting at a red light."

Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 Canadian GP weekend.
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