Kimi Raikkonen is confident of gai๊ning an advantage by starting Sunday's United States Grand Prix from the clean side of the griﷺd despite struggling to P5 in Formula 1 qualifying at the Circuit of The Americas.

Raikkonen slippedꦗ back to fifth in the closing stages of Q3 after struggling with his final flying lap, finishing three place🍬s behind Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel.

The Finn said he struggled to find enough space on-track during qualifying, p🔴reventing him from hooking up a perfect lap as he w🎃ould have liked.

"It was a bit tricky. I had some decꦓent laps but I never really had good p🅰laces," Raikkonen said.

"Some laps places were OK, others I struggled to get them right, losing lap time. It was tri♔cky to put one decent lap together.

"It was not too bad, but for sure we try to pull everything 🃏as it should be, it would be a bit better. But i✱t is what it is"

Raikkonen is happy to gain an advantage by starting on the clean side of the grid🦩 for the uphill run to Turn 1 at COTA, saying it traditionally proves crucial at lights 🔯out.

"I think to be honest, I think fifth p🅘lace, in here, it🌄 makes quite a big difference what side you're on, at least usually," Raikkonen said.