Williams hopes Ferrari can 'sort out' Raikkonen

SUZUKA, Japan, Oct 8 (Reuters) Formula One team boss Frank Williams fears Kimi Raikkonen, who replaces Michael Schumacher at Ferrari next year, is in danger of squandering his precious talent.

Williams, speaking at the Japanese Grand Prix, said he hoped the Finnish driver's move to the Italian glamour team would trigger a change of attitude.

''I hardly know Kimi ... but when he came into Formula One I thought 'Oh no, how did we miss him?''' he told reporters.

''Because when he arrived ... he was just way up there with true star status.

''But he hasn't taken it seriously enough, which I find very sad,'' added the Briton, whose team have won nine constructors' championships since 1980.

''I don't follow what he does when he's away, but Michael's approach is different to Kimi's and maybe that's the more professional.

''It's a crying shame. Maybe (Ferrari boss) Jean Todt can sort him out, in which case it's a pity Michael is not in the other car because that would have been true Titans,'' said Williams.

''I really hope he changes and does a brilliant job.'' Seven-times champion Schumacher is considered the model professional -- a family man whose private life attracts none of the lurid newspaper coverage that has dogged Raikkonen's career since he was fast-tracked into Formula One with Sauber in 2001.

The Finn won at Suzuka last season, taking the lead from Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella on the last lap after starting 17th in a race that ranked with some of the sport's greatest.

PRETTY SICK Yet the Finn has cut a subdued figure this time.

''He's been pretty sick all week so he's on a pretty heavy course of antibiotics,'' team boss Ron Dennis told reporters when asked about the driver sounding more taciturn than usual after Saturday's qualifying.

''So he's not great, he doesn't complain and he has been sick since Tuesday.

''It would be only natural for him to be thinking about the future and not currently focused on the present, he's only human. We all do that,'' added Dennis.

''Communicating or putting his passion across is not something he's particularly fond of ... but I wouldn't think its anything other than his illness that makes him a bit down.'' McLaren are facing their first season in a decade without a win, Raikkonen's victory at Suzuka last year being their last appearance on the top step of the podium.

Ferrari confirmed an open secret at the Italian Grand Prix last month when they announced he would replace Schumacher.

Technical director Ross Brawn, speaking to reporters at Suzuka, saw the Finn fitting in fine.

''It's his (Schumacher's) ability and his commitment that's been a great motivating factor on the team and we need to work with Kimi and find out what his strengths are and adapt the team suitably,'' he added.

''But the first priority is you've got to be fast. If you're fast that helps an enormous amount.

''If a driver's not putting in the commitment, people get disappointed and can get disillusioned. But I don't expect any problem in that respect from Kimi,'' said Brawn.

REUTERS PM KP0910