McLaren doctor and fellow Finn Aki Hintsa does not think Kimi Raikkonen will struggle on his return to formula one next season.<\/p>\n
2007 world champion Raikkonen’s decision to come back to the sport with Lotus after a couple of seasons away has been compared with Michael Schumacher’s recent struggle to readjust after a three-year sabbatical.<\/p>\n
But Hintsa, who knows Raikkonen well after the now 32-year-old’s five-year tenure at McLaren until 2006, plays down that comparison.<\/p>\n
“Physically, Kimi is definitely as strong now as he ever was,” he is quoted by Turun Sanomat newspaper.\u00a0 “It is clear that a return to F1 for Kimi will be easier than it was for Michael Schumacher two years ago.<\/p>\n
“First of all, Kimi is so much younger than Michael, and secondly, he was not away for as long and while he was away, he kept driving in a very demanding category,” said Hintsa, referring to Raikkonen’s world rallying exploits.<\/p>\n
Indeed, while Raikkonen only turned 32 some weeks ago, Schumacher is clearly F1’s oldest active driver as he approaches his 43rd birthday in January.<\/p>\n
“At that stage of life a ten year age difference is a major factor in top-level sport,” said Hintsa.<\/p>\n
“When an athlete turns 40, the response time begins to slow down naturally and there’s nothing you can do about it.\u00a0 It is not possible to turn back the clock.”<\/p>\n
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