Highlights

McLaren can deliver for Raikkonen, says Hakkinen

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-22 09:48

"I don't see why the team cannot do it again, it's just going to take some time.

"It's been close many times and I think if you look at the performance of these couple of races they have been okay."

Raikkonen was third in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, after starting last following a suspension failure in qualifying, but crashed out on the first lap in Malaysia.

Hakkinen endured years of frustration before his first win with McLaren at the end of 1997 and he sympathised with Honda's Briton Jenson Button, who has done 102 races without victory.

"It was really tough. I started my career in Formula One in 1991 and my first win was the end of 1997. Even if you believe you are a good racing driver, it's awful -- really, really tough," said the Finn.

"I believe he (Button) is going to win before the last race this year. There is no question, it could take time but he's going to win."

Hakkinen confirmed also that he turned down a chance to be Mark Webber's team mate at Williams last year after that team approached him in 2004.

"There were definitely some discussions with Frank, and I have no reason to say it's not true. It was true, yes, we were looking at that option," he said.

"At that point it looked like the right thing to do but with a lot of thinking, we came to the conclusion that it was better to go to the DTM."