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Hirvonen: Kimi will struggle at first in rallying

Thursday 26th November 2009

Mikko Hirvonen, runner-up in the 2009 World Rally Championship, has warned against expecting victories from Kimi Raikkonen if he joins the sport next season.

Raikkonen's Formula One career came to a temporary halt last week when McLaren confirmed that Jenson Button would take their second race-seat for 2010, leaving the Finn out in the cold.

However, Raikkonen could yet remain in motorsport, with his interest in rallying sparking reports that he could switch to the World Rally Championship.

But should that happen, Hirvonen has warned that Raikkonen will need time to get up to speed with his rallying rivals.

"Kimi is fast and with driving he doesn't have problems," Hirvonen told Finnish website Sportti.com. "But preparing to drive with pace notes is a difficult case for him.

"We WRC drivers have so much more experience, and almost all the rallies will be unknown to Kimi in advance. It's difficult to imagine that Kimi could succeed, at least in his first season."

Meanwhile, former F1 commentator James Allen claims that 'Raikkonen is close to agreeing a deal with Citroen' that will see him compete in the 2010 World Rally Championship.

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