Hakkinen: Schumacher will race again

The 37-year-old German Ferrari driver will retire from Formula One following the end of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, after 15 years in the sport.

Hakkinen, who left Formula One at the end of the 2001 season but returned to racing in the DTM series in 2005, believes Schumacher will soon feel the need to race again.

"I had a few years off after F1 and I recharged my batteries," Hakkinen, 38, told reporters in Brazil. "And I had a great time. Time with family, time with friends, time to travel the world without the pressure of going to races.

"Then it came the time when I started missing racing again and I put myself in order, focusing on the racing, and went to the DTM.

"You are asking me whether Michael will come back to racing?  My opinion, is that racing is in our blood. We know we are good at racing and if we are physically and psychologically fit then we can do racing.

"I feel inside myself that I don't think I could be without racing because it is a great passion and a great thing that I have.

"In my opinion Michael will come back to racing, but which category and when I don't know. You will have to ask him. My opinion is simply that he will one day."

Schumacher will be replaced by Finn Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari, as the Italian squad aim to continue winning without the German star.

Hakkinen believes Raikkonen's arrival had nothing to do with Schumacher's retirement, and the former world champion reckons the seven-time champion was not afraid of the young Finn.

"I think Michael is a fighter and he doesn't think whoever is his teammate he will be going on the limit," Hakkinen added. "So if Kimi would have come to Ferrari at the same time that Michael was there, I don't think that had anything to do with Michael's decision. That is my opinion."