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ROME (AFP) - - Kimi Raikkonen has refused to throw in the Formula One towel, despite seeing world championship leader Lewis Hamilton stretch his lead over the Finn to 19 points.
Raikkonen crashed out of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on the penultimate lap on Sunday to end the race pointless.
He was running second at the time and had he made it to the finish line he and not team-mate Felipe Massa would have been awarded the race victory following Hamilton's 25-second penalty for an illegal manoeuvre in passing Raikkonen.
Hamilton cut the Bus Stop chicane to pass Raikkonen on that penultimate lap and although he gave the lead back to the Finnish world champion, he passed him again straight away before the next bend, leading to the sanction which dropped him to third.
Raikkonen started the race 13 points behind Hamilton but the Englishman's six points has opened up that gap.
And with Brazilian Massa just two points behind Hamilton, the chances of Raikkonen overhauling the deficits to both drivers in the five remaining GPs look less than slim.
"I'll fight to the end," said Raikkonen in an interview on the Cavallino motor-racing website. "I'll do everything to win, for the team and the fans."
The next race is this weekend in Monza, considered Ferrari's home GP.
"This is Ferrari's home race and it would be fantastic to win the Italian GP for the first time.
"I've got nothing to lose and so I'll give everything, I'll push to the limits."
Raikkonen has come under a lot of criticism this season with retirements in three GPs, a finish out of the points in Monaco, a lowly eighth in Australia and with podium finishes in less than half the races.
He has only managed to start on the front row of the grid in four out of 13 races and none of the last five.
He has also come under fire from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone for not loving the sport but Raikkonen claims he is giving it his all.
"I did my best but it wasn't enough. The same thing can happen in an ice hockey match or a motocross race: you give and you take but you keep on fighting.
"What happened to me (in Spa) won't make doubts grow in my mind or impede me from trying. I'll fight to the end.
"The counting will be done at the end of the season: there's five races left and for sure my position isn't ideal, but I'm not someone who gives in."
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