Hakkinen to make a comeback...in DTM...

[MercedeSChink]

Hakkinen to make driving comeback
Former Formula One world champion Mika Hakkinen has ended a three-year absence from motorsport by agreeing to compete in the German Touring Car Championship.
The 36-year-old Finn, who won F1 titles in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren, retired to spend more time with his son Hugo.

But he has accepted the offer to drive for Mercedes in touring cars.

"I have close ties to Mercedes and look forward to taking part in the Touring Car Championship next year. My target is obviously to win it," said Hakkinen.


During his 10-year McLaren career, Hakkinen won 20 Grands Prix and achieved 26 pole positions.

He had been linked with a move back into F1 in recent months, with Williams and BAR mentioned as possible destinations.

But he has opted for a new challenge in touring cars and will drive the AMG-Mercedes C-Class in 2005.

"After the end of my Formula One career in 2001, I soon realised that I was not ready to retire for good," he said.

"It was just the right moment that Mercedes-Benz offered me to test a DTM [Deutschen Tourenwagen Masters] car.

"I saw immediately that I still enjoy racing very much and during the test three weeks ago, my lap times were at the same level as those of the touring car specialists."


Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/spo...ne/3988639.stm

Published: 2004/11/06 14:06:37 GMT

© BBC MMIV

[SPEEDKILLAR]

I'm really happy about that, Hakki was always one of my favourite, and I'm sure he'll perform very well, someday he may come back to F1 with Mercedes...I hope.

[Ford Capri 2.8i]

Very good news for the DTM championship, since with the addition of the Hakkinen..the DTM will even get quite more prestige.....its a good kick for Ecclestone and his partners ass´s as well since the DTM quite a big rival of the Formula 1...in addition, since Merc, Audi, Opel were taking already part seriously in that championat, and making BMW force to take part in the DTM, with the Hakkinen contraction, the BMW will be forced more to take part in the championsip....there are some rumors that Alfa is going back to DTM as well in a quite likely as well

Finally.....since Hakkinen has been one of the few people capable of beating Michael Schumacher, and one of the bests formula 1 drivers during the 2000, of course Hakkinen will be one of the strongest candidates to win the 2005 DTM championship

[jon_s]

For a second there, I thought I was in the Motorsport News And Discussion section

It is certainly good news! I bet it was a difficult time not racing! He should take the series by storm!

[Sm@ck]

Originally Posted by Ford Capri 2.8i .....its a good kick for Ecclestone and his partners ass´s as well since the DTM quite a big rival of the Formula 1...in addition, since Merc, Audi, Opel were taking already part seriously in that championat, and making BMW force to take part in the DTM, with the Hakkinen contraction, the BMW will be forced more to take part in the championsip.... of course Hakkinen will be one of the strongest candidates to win the 2005 DTM championship

I dont know what pipe you have been smoking, but there are so many flaws in your logic... It is not even funny....

DTM rivaling F1? is like saying Pizza Hut is rivaling McDonalds.
F1 is much bigger than DTM, they are leagues apart......

BMW forced to enter DTM? I really doubt anyone can force anything on BMW at this moment...

HAkkinen, a contender? I really doubt, he will be able to contend next year. It is as if you dissmiss all the other DTM drivers as talentless. I think Hakkinen will be a contender the year after, if at all. Believe it or not, there are plenty of drivers on this planet who have talent. In fact this might be a shocker to you, but F1 does not always have the "best drivers" in the world. Some times a driver does not have the right management/backing, sometimes it is a matter of being at the right place at the right time. In the case of F1 it is the case of being at the right team, at the right time... But feel free to believe what you want....

:roll:

[is64fun]

that is good news for hakkinen and motorsprt fans. but i still would like to see him in f1.

[chipanggo]

very interesting to see how he will fare in this type of motorsport. he will be racing against fellow former grand prix drivers like alesi and frentzen. coming from f1 doesn't mean they will easily dominate DTM as we we've seen with frentzen and alesi. let's wait and see if mika will make a strong impression on his first year.

[MercedeSChink]

i can't wait till montoya joins MB/Mclaren next year!!!

[Mattk]

Interesting. He should be a good performer.

[Pimp Racer]

Damn link not working?