Raikkonen has had a disastrous run of form in recent races

World champion Kimi Raikkonen has admitted his chances of retaining his Formula One title are all but over.

The Ferrari driver is 21 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton with a maximum of 40 available in the four races left.

"It's not over yet but now it will take a miracle, like the one that makes lightning strike twice," said the Finn, who has not won a race since April.

"It's been a long time now without a win for me and the list of races without points is growing."

Raikkonen's last victory was at the Spanish Grand Prix 10 races ago and he has been overshadowed by team-mate Felipe Massa, who is a point behind Hamilton, for much of the summer.

Hamilton's lead over Raikkonen would extend to 25 points if McLaren win their appeal next Monday against the penalty that demoted him from first to third in the Belgian Grand Prix.

Things are definitely not going my way but that won't lower my spirits or my determination Kimi Raikkonen

"This sport can be really hard to digest," said the 28-year-old Finn on his official website. "You push and you give it your all but nothing seems to go your way."

Raikkonen has struggled with his car in qualifying, when his failure to get his tyres up to operating temperature has left him in lowly grid positions from which it is difficult to recover in the race.

At the Italian Grand Prix last weekend he qualified 14th in wet conditions that do not suit the Ferrari and could only finish ninth. It was the fifth time this season he has failed to score points.

"Five races without scoring a point this season is a lot and you don't have to be Einstein to understand that it is not the right way to fight for a title," he said.

Raikkonen famously made up a 17-point deficit in the final two races of last season to emerge as champion.

Hamilton passed Raikkonen during the Italian GP and left him behind

But he does not sound optimistic of being able to do the same this year - not least because there is a strong likelihood of rain at the four remaining races in Singapore, Japan, China and Brazil.

"At the Italian Grand Prix we had the same problem as before at a couple of other races," he said.

"Under certain circumstances, especially with low temperatures and rain, we've hardly any grip.

"Now it seems it's going to rain at every outstanding race - we had enough in Monza.

"It's not that I've lost my ability to drive in the wet, but when you've no grip, what can you do?

"Things are definitely not going my way. Sometimes it happens but that won't lower my spirits or my determination.

606: DEBATE Fan though I am, Kimi has frustrated me this year jakeyrollin

"Nevertheless, I want to win again this season and I will give my best, as usual."

Raikkonen's form has been poor enough this season to lead to speculation about his future in the sport, but at Monza he extended his Ferrari contract until the end of 2010.

"I was very happy I could renew my contract with Ferrari," he said. "They are the best team in Formula One. I will never forget what happened last year, and I want to repeat it again."