RompelStompel
30-11-2006, 02:15 PM
My favourite F1 driver :) :) :)
Stuttgart - Finland's two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen will return to the sport following five years in the wilderness after agreeing to test drive the new McLaren-Mercedes in Barcelona on Thursday, the Formula One team said on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Hakkinen, back-to-back world champion in 1998 and 1999, retired from Formula One in October 2001 and has been racing in the German Touring Car Championship since 2005.
"I am looking forward to this test and I will see how Formula One has developed over the last five years and hope I can help the team prepare for 2007," Hakkinen said.
Finn Hakkinen had 161 races in Formula One recording 20 victories and McLaren-Mercedes team boss Ron Dennis was glad to have such a quality test driver on board.
"A driver of his calibre and experience is great fur our testing program and his comments will help the team prepare for 2007," explained Dennis.
"However at this stage we have not planned any further tests with Mika."
There have been suggestions that Hakkinen could return to Formula One after a five-year absence but Mercedes chief Norbert Haug quashed such talk.
"We are glad to have Mika back in our Formula One team after five years but it would be wrong to conclude from this test that Mika will return to Formula One," said Haug.
McLaren-Mercedes already have their two drivers for next season in Spain's reigning world champion Fernando Alonso and Great Britain's Lewis Hamilton who won this year's GP2 series.
Stuttgart - Finland's two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen will return to the sport following five years in the wilderness after agreeing to test drive the new McLaren-Mercedes in Barcelona on Thursday, the Formula One team said on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Hakkinen, back-to-back world champion in 1998 and 1999, retired from Formula One in October 2001 and has been racing in the German Touring Car Championship since 2005.
"I am looking forward to this test and I will see how Formula One has developed over the last five years and hope I can help the team prepare for 2007," Hakkinen said.
Finn Hakkinen had 161 races in Formula One recording 20 victories and McLaren-Mercedes team boss Ron Dennis was glad to have such a quality test driver on board.
"A driver of his calibre and experience is great fur our testing program and his comments will help the team prepare for 2007," explained Dennis.
"However at this stage we have not planned any further tests with Mika."
There have been suggestions that Hakkinen could return to Formula One after a five-year absence but Mercedes chief Norbert Haug quashed such talk.
"We are glad to have Mika back in our Formula One team after five years but it would be wrong to conclude from this test that Mika will return to Formula One," said Haug.
McLaren-Mercedes already have their two drivers for next season in Spain's reigning world champion Fernando Alonso and Great Britain's Lewis Hamilton who won this year's GP2 series.