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MARANELLO, Italy - Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen must quickly get on performance terms with his Ferrari team mate Fernando Alsonso.
When former F1 driver Mika Hakkinen, now 45 and title winner in 1998 and 1999, left McLaren at the end of 2001 he urged then team principal Ron Dennis to sign the young Sauber driver Raikkonen, famously telling Ron Dennis: "If you want to win, get the Finn."
Indeed, Raikkonen went on to win 20 career GP's and the title for Ferrari in 2007, but since he returned to Maranello for the 2014 F1 season the now 34-year-old has struggled at the wheel of the F14-T car which was also driven by Fernando Alonso.
'DO IT SOON'
Hakkinen said: "Kimi has problems and they need to be resolved. Alonso is dominating him - the difference is not small. There have been four races and I would have expected him to have settled in by now. His car is not so bad that he can't do anything about Alonso.
"Kimi needs to do something and he needs to do it very soon."
Raikkonen is no fan of driving simulators but Ferrari's new facility is state-of-the-art and Hakkinen urged him to use the break between China and Barcelona wisely.
Hakkinen said: "The simulator is a good tool. You can try out all sorts of settings - but I don't want to be give Kimi advice because I'm assuming that an F1 champion is already concentrating on solving his problems ."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 F1 season – fresh reports every day.
When former F1 driver Mika Hakkinen, now 45 and title winner in 1998 and 1999, left McLaren at the end of 2001 he urged then team principal Ron Dennis to sign the young Sauber driver Raikkonen, famously telling Ron Dennis: "If you want to win, get the Finn."
Indeed, Raikkonen went on to win 20 career GP's and the title for Ferrari in 2007, but since he returned to Maranello for the 2014 F1 season the now 34-year-old has struggled at the wheel of the F14-T car which was also driven by Fernando Alonso.
'DO IT SOON'
Hakkinen said: "Kimi has problems and they need to be resolved. Alonso is dominating him - the difference is not small. There have been four races and I would have expected him to have settled in by now. His car is not so bad that he can't do anything about Alonso.
"Kimi needs to do something and he needs to do it very soon."
Raikkonen is no fan of driving simulators but Ferrari's new facility is state-of-the-art and Hakkinen urged him to use the break between China and Barcelona wisely.
Hakkinen said: "The simulator is a good tool. You can try out all sorts of settings - but I don't want to be give Kimi advice because I'm assuming that an F1 champion is already concentrating on solving his problems ."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 F1 season – fresh reports every day.