Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen believes that his team can catch Mercedes this season, after an impressive start to 2015.

The Italian team have made major strides over the winter, which was shown by Sebastian Vettel's victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen told reporters: "I think we have good plans already since last year and made big gains and will make big gains during this year. Everybody improves and it depends what the rest are doing but we trust the way our team is working altogether and what we are doing.

"So it definitely shows we are going the right way and doing the right things but you need time - you cannot make miracles overnight."

Mercedes returned to winning ways in China on Sunday, but Raikkonen believes that on certain circuits, like Malaysia, they can give the defending champions a run for their money and will eventually rival them in all conditions.

He added: "One circuit can be good for one team and the next can be a different story. We have to be up there. When something happens to them [Mercedes] or conditions change, we have to be there. I feel with the speed we will get there so we can regularly try to beat them in any conditions or at any circuit - but we need some more time."

The next race on the calendar is the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend.