Raikkonen: Massa will be main title rival

The Finn is leaving the McLaren team after five years and will race for Ferrari next season, replacing retiring seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

Spaniard Fernando Alonso, world champion for the past two years, will take Raikkonen's place at the McLaren team, who just completed their first win-less season in a decade.

"My toughest rival won't be Fernando, but my teammate Felipe Massa," Raikkonen told Bild magazine in an interview. "From now on, I'll see McLaren-Mercedes only in my rear-view mirrors."

Raikkonen, runner-up to Alonso in 2005, has endured a difficult tenure with McLaren, being plagued by reliability problems.

The Finn believes he will be finally able to win the title with Ferrari.

"There are many reasons why in five years I only won nine times," he added. "Certainly I made a few mistakes too many, but the car was often not consistent enough, simply.

"I had opted for Ferrari a long time ago, and I'm convinced with this team I will become world champion. That's my objective, even though it's hard to say whether I'll manage that immediately."

The 27-year-old has signed a three-year contract with Ferrari and he will have big shoes to fill following Schumacher's success.

Raikkonen reckons he won't be able to match Schumacher's achievements, because he won't stay in the sport that long.

"With the right car and team it's possible to beat that record," Raikkonen said of Schumacher's seven titles.

"His record won't last forever. Yes, I'd like to be the one beating that, but I won't be able to: I won't race long enough to win seven titles. Maybe the Ferrari contract will already be the last one for me."