Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen has no doubts that his side can challenge for the Formula 1 World Championship this season.

The 33-year-old got his campaign off to the perfect start when he won the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday.

However, the Finnish racer believes that it will be a real push for his team to compete with the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari for the entire course of the year.

"It's not going to be easy for us. We have the people, all the tools to make it, but money is a big part of it," Raikkonen told Sky Sports News. "We don't have the same budget as Ferrari, Red Bull or Mercedes, but we saw last year we did well with money and the things we have.

"If we could get more money that would help, and it will give us a better chance and more fair play against the bigger teams. We have good plans, and if we can follow them up it might be good, it might not. If you do things right it will go nicely, but then one thing can change the whole year. If you do a few things a little bit wrong it can turn around and go downhill after that.

"So we just have to do the normal things, like we did last year, and put good effort into new parts. If we're happy we keep them, if not we have to look more closely. So far it has been good, so there is no reason why we can't keep it up."

Raikkonen won the title in 2007.