Monday July 23, 12:05 AM

Nuerburgring jinx strikes Raikkonen again

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NUERBURGRING, Germany (Reuters) - Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen vowed to keep on fighting on Sunday after his second retirement of the season dealt a blow to his Formula One championship hopes.

"This knock-back does not mean that I feel like giving up the fight, even if there is now one less race in which to compete," the Finn declared in a team statement at the European Grand Prix.

"The gap to the head of the classification remains the same and anything can happen in the seven remaining races. We have a very competitive car but clearly we have to improve on the reliability front."

The Ferrari driver had been third in the championship, 18 points adrift of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, but fell to fourth. Hamilton also failed to score.

Raikkonen, whose experience of the Nuerburgring is full of bitter memories after two previous retirements there while leading for McLaren, started on pole position but slowed suddenly on the 35th of 60 laps while third.

The retirement, which the team blamed on a problem with the hydraulic system, ended his bid for a third win in a row after victories in France and Britain.

"I am very disappointed," he said. "I was in a good position, immediately right behind (team mate) Felipe (Massa) and (McLaren's race winner Fernando) Alonso and the car was very quick. I was convinced I could win."

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