Raikkonen May Struggle, Says Button

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen may struggle when he makes his debut in Formula One next season as the most inexperienced newcomer in years, according to Jenson Button.

"When he gets to the first race, (he will find) everyone steps up another gear," the 20-year-old Briton, who with Williams this year became the youngest driver to score points in Formula One, told Reuters in an interview on Monday.

"It was a shock to me and I think the first qualifying session is going to be tough for him."

Raikkonen has had just 23 single seater races in his career and was signed by the Swiss-based Sauber team as partner to 23-year-old German Nick Heidfeld after he won last season's British Formula Renault title.

The Finn was granted a licence by the ruling International Automobile Federation (FIA) last week despite suggestions from some in Formula One that he needed more experience.

Button, who competed in British Formula Three in 1999, had to overcome similar doubts when he signed for Williams in January only days after his 20th birthday.

"I think he's a very good driver, he's very quick and he's done a great job in testing, not far off Heidfeld," he said of Raikkonen, whom he knows quite well.

"It's very impressive. He is quick enough but I had a little bit more experience of racing. I'm sure he's going to be capable, it's just how long its going to take him really."

Training Grounds

"For me, I think you definitely need to have raced Formula Three," added Button. "In Formula Three you learn a lot mechanically about the car, a lot to do with the aerodynamics and you really work with the engineers.

"Formula Three is probably one of the best training grounds there is."

Button, who joins Benetton next season on loan for two years, also felt Raikkonen had yet to be truly tested.

"He's raced in Formula Renault where he's had the best car and always been the quickest so he hasn't really raced.

"It would have been nice to see him race in Formula Three or Formula 3000 against some more competitive drivers."

Asked whether it might be possible one day for a driver even to come into Formula One straight from go-karting, Button was adamant that could never happen.

"It's impossible. From karting to F1 is an even bigger jump than Formula Renault," he said. "The biggest thing is weight. In a go-kart, you can throw it around easily, in Formula One you can't throw it around, it can get very dangerous.

"And you've really got to think about what speed you're doing because you can't feel it in a Formula One car. When you get used to it, you can't feel the speed until you actually hit something or make a mistake."

With the benefit of hindsight, he urged his future rival to get as fit as possible and warned him of some pitfalls to beware when the season starts in Australia on March 4.

"Off the circuit, with the press and everything, you've got to really watch what you say," said Button, whose easy manner in front of the cameras this season has left seasoned veterans impressed by his self-assurance.

"You don't really know what to expect because in Formula Three or Formula Renault there's nothing like it at all. You might have one person interviewing you after the race, one camera crew and that's it. But F1 is just mad.

"I have become very cautious now...but you've still got to be yourself, as much as possible, because that's what people want to see. They don't want to see a robot.

"I'm going to try and stay as normal as possible.

"The only thing now is that I get a bit more stress than I used to, because I am so much more busy."