Kimi Raikkonen says his first Formula 1 race win in over five years atꦑ the 2018 United States Grand Prix “came quite easily”.

The Finn charged to victory during a thrilling race at the Circuit of the Americas to end a drought lasting 113 races since he w🔯on the 2013 Australian Grand Prix with Lotus.

Raikkonen’s firꦰst grand prix win in the V6 hybrid era is likely to be his last in F1, with the outgoing Ferrari driver re-joining midfield ꦆcontenders Sauber on a two-year deal from 2019.

“Obviously it was a good weekend,” Raikkonen said when reflecting on his victory at Austin during the end-of-season prize giv🉐ing ceremony 🧸in St Petersburg.

“I think overall we had pretty decent speed all the time, and it fell into the right placওe.

“We had a pretty good car basically all weekend, and i🎐n the race we 🔯did the right things in the right times, and it paid off.

“It was a bit close in the end, but that’s what us﷽ually happens. It came quite easily i💛n many ways.”

ജRaikkonen’s win sparked an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the F1 community, with the 39-year-old ad♛mitting he was pleased to have proven any critics wrong.

Asked if he wa🃏s surprised by the reaction, Raikkonen replied: “I’m a peace-maker!

“That’s nice, but maybe i▨t’s the only time when people are happy there. It’s not often in the F1 paddock.

“Obviously I was happy for myself and꧋ t🏅he team. It was a while we had to wait. It was good.”