Iceman keeps cool

'When things do go wrong, it has nothing to do with me or him but the car.'

KIMI RAIKKONEN, on talking to his race engineer during a race

... more Some 360-plus days later, he is back in the Lion City with his hunger and mojo in question. His blond hair is longer but gone is the drivers' championship crown. The only trophy still in his possession is his wife, who happens to be a former Miss Scandinavia, while his future at the sport's most romantic name, Scuderia Ferrari, is under intense speculation.

Raikkonen himself admits there is uncertainty about his position as he stands fifth in the drivers' championship on 40 points, half of leader Jenson Button's haul. But the Finn sent out the message on Thursday that he is a driver in form, with one win and three other podium finishes in his last four races.

'We should be able to get some points here,' said the 29-year-old, who is eager to make amends for Ferrari's disappointing show last year when he crashed out while Felipe Massa finished out of the points following a refuelling foul-up.

He already had plans to walk the Marina Bay circuit last night, among his many commitments on a busy Thursday.

First stop was an appearance with teammate Giancarlo Fisichella at Ion Orchard for Ferrari's partner Shell. He capped the evening with a party at St James Power Station, organised by the Prancing Horse's apparel sponsor Puma. At each stop, he was bombarded with questions on his future. In typical Iceman fashion, his sentences were brief, his tone monotonous.

'There is no battle,' he replied when asked about what is shaping up to be a tussle between himself and Renault's Fernando Alonso to sit in the cockpit of a scarlet Ferrari next season. This, after Ferrari confirmed that Massa would stay on. 'Whatever will happen will happen. It is up to the team to decide such things.'

He did not venture far into the topic of 'Crashgate', simply because he was not one of those implicated. 'I don't want to be involved,' he replied in his characteristic mumble. 'You have to ask those who were involved. This is not good for the sport.'

Aloof and arrogant? Some might say so. But touch on the topic of racing and the 29-year-old revs up, stating his intent to reproduce the form that saw him stand on the podium in the last five races with his new and improved chariot.

The team have rolled out upgrades to his F60 car that have reduced its weight by 15kg. Revised front-wing and suspension design have improved handling. He said: 'Singapore is a circuit where it is easier to get an accident. This is a challenging place for fast cars. Also, the weather can change quickly.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.