Oct.6 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen's hopes of keeping his slim championship hopes alive may have hit a snag in the hours before qualifying in China.

The Finn, despite again narrowly taking his Ferrari to top spot ahead of the McLarens in Saturday practice, slowed late in the 60-minute session with an apparent technical problem.

Saturday morning is the first session of a grand prix weekend in which a ten-position grid penalty applies for an engine change.

Ferrari boss Jean Todt on Friday afternoon admitted that reliability problems had blighted his drivers' push for the championships this year.

"Our drivers have not made mistakes and have done a good job and as a team we did not do a good enough job," the Frenchman told reporters in Shanghai.