Kimi Raikkone𒀰n says it was “quite clear” after Formula 1 pre-season testing that Alfa Romeo was going to face a difficult 20🧔20 season.

For the third season in a row, Al🎃fa Romeo ended the year eighth in the constructors’ championship but endured a trickier time of things in 2020, scoring just eight points across the 1🌠7-round campaign in contrast to the 57 it scored in 2019 and 48 it managed the year before.

Raikkonen finished a season-best ninth place at Mugello and Imola and recorded just a single Q3 🌱appearance when both he and Alfa Romeo teammate Antonio Giovinazzi progressed to the top-10 shootout in Turkey.

“For sure it’s not what we expected bef🌳ore the s🉐eason started or wanted,” the Finn said.

“I think it became quite clear after testinܫg that we were not where we wanted to be but there💙’s obviously many reasons why we’re not that fast as we were, but, from that side, it’s obviously disappointing.

“I think last year we di♉d, let’s say, a pretty decent job even if later in the year we were🎃 definitively not where we wanted to be.

“Obviously hopes were higher but quite soon obvious for all of us that we weren’t going to be where w♋e liked to be.”

While development for 2021 is limited with teams carrying o🌟ver their current cars, Raikkonen is hopeful Alfa Romeo can still make improvements and take advantage ofꦏ a brand new power unit being developed by engine supplier Ferrari.

“A l✅ot of work has to be done for next year, so that we ar🤡e in a better position,” Raikkonen explained.

“We just have to work and try to do a better job ꦡnext year, but that’s how it goes, some years are more trౠicky for many reasons and, obviously, in this sport the car makes a huge difference.

“Good or bad, I think every year you have disappointing results, good results and some 𒉰results in the middle. It’s the name of the game.”