|
Mika's finished
Hakkinen confirms retirement from Formula 1
Posted: Friday July 26, 2002 8:09 AM
| |
| Mika Hakkinen factbox |
|---|
Nationality: Finnish. Age: 33.
Born: September 28 1968, Helsinki.
Married to Erja, son Hugo (born December 2000).
Grand prix starts 161, wins 20, poles 26.
Career points: 420
World champion: 1998, 1999.
First GP: United States 1991.
- - - -
Career highlights:
1974-86 - Five times Finnish national karting champion.
1987 - Formula Ford, Nordic champion.
1988 - British Formula Three champion.
1989 - Seventh in British Formula Three championship.
1990 - British Formula Three champion.
1991 - Entered Formula One with Lotus. 15th in world
championship. Two points.
1992 - Lotus. Eighth overall. 11 points.
1993 - Moved to McLaren. First Formula One podium finish
(3rd in Japan). Ended season 15th overall, four.
1994 - Fourth in championship. 26 points.
1995 - Seventh in championship. 17 points. Suffered severe head injuries in high-speed crash at Australian GP. Spent several weeks in hospital, returned to racing in 1996.
1996 - Fifth in championship. 31 points, four podiums.
1997 - Won first grand prix (European at Jerez) after 95 races without a victory. Sixth in championship. 27 points. First pole position in Luxembourg GP.
1998 - Champion. (won in Australia, Brazil, Spain, Monaco, Austria, Germany-Hockenheim, Luxembourg, Japan). 100
1999 - Champion. (Won in Brazil, Spain, Canada, Hungary and Japan). 76
2000 - Second. (Won in Spain, Austria, Hungary and Belgium) 89
2001 - Fifth (Won in Britain and United States) 37. Announced in September that he would be taking a break from F1 for a year at the end of the season. Replaced at McLaren by fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen.
2002 July 26, announced his retirement from Formula One.
- - - -
Other facts:
Secured drive at McLaren in 1993 as Ayrton Senna's replacement, only for Senna to decide not to leave. Finally gained a drive for last three races of that season when the under-performing Michael Andretti left the scene.
Holds the record for the longest-standing partnership in a team with Briton David Coulthard at McLaren (1996-2001, 99 grands prix). |
| |
|
HOCKENHEIM, Germany (AP) -- Two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen is retiring and the McLaren-Mercedes team will go into the next season with its current drivers, David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen, the team announced Friday.
Hakkinen took a sabbatical this season after an 11-year Formula One career.
"I have been through so much in my Formula One career and achieved a lot and I just didn't think it was worth it to push things any further," Hakkinen said in a tape made at home in Finland and played during the announcement made at the German Grand Prix.
"I want to spend time with my family and see (son) Hugo grow up," Hakkinen said.
Coulthard, a Briton, has been with McLaren since 1996 and has won 12 races, including one this season. Raikkonen, who is keeping the Finnish tradition at McLaren, is in his first season with the team.
Alexander Wurz of Austria will continue as a test driver.
Hakkinen stayed nine seasons with McLaren, winning 20 races and capturing back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999.
He told McLaren officials last season that he wanted to retire, but they persuaded him to take a sabbatical instead before making a final decision.
Coulthard wished his old teammate a happy retirement. The two formed the longest driver partnership in Formula One.
"In the competitive environment of Formula One, I think it's an important factor for the team and the drivers to have continuity. Kimi and I have been developing a good relationship during the 2002 season and I look forward to the continuation of this next year," Coulthard said.
Raikkonen said he was "very excited about the future" and believed he and Coulthard would challenge for the title next season.
"As a fellow Finn, I'm sure Mika will keep an eye on me and the team's progress next year from home," he said.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
