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Manager: Raikkonen title long overdue

Kimi Raikkonen's waited too long for his maiden Formula One world title and should already be a three-time champion, claims his manager David Robertson

Raikkonen clinched the 2007 drivers' championship in the season finale in Brazil, having overhauled Lewis Hamilton's lead in the final races of the season.

And although Raikkonen was overjoyed with the success, Robertson actually thinks the Finn would have more titles under his belt if it was not for poor reliability at his former team McLaren.

"Two championships have been taken away from Kimi," Robertson said in an interview with Finnish television channel MTV3. "He would be the youngest champion ever without McLaren's reliability issues.

"He has still risen to the top and we are very glad about that. But he should have three championships instead of one. He is an incredible talent."

Robertson also suggests that the departure of Fernando Alonso from Raikkonen's former team McLaren is further proof of the difficulties the team have in handling drivers.

"Alonso's departure was a bad thing for McLaren," added Robertson. "They can't handle drivers. It is going to be interesting to see if they will choose (Pedro) de la Rosa or (Heikki) Kovalainen.

"Personally I fancy they are going to pick de la Rosa. Ron never knew how to handle two fast drivers. That was the case when Kimi and (Juan Pablo) Montoya were driving for his team.

"(Lewis) Hamilton was supposed to drive in the last few races with Kimi at McLaren at the end of the previous season (in 2006). He was so bad with Michelins that they decided to go with Pedro instead."

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