Häkkinen confirms return to racing
Finn to join Alesi in German touring car series
Ex-F1 champion Mika , who retired from the sport at the end of the 2001 season after 162 grands prix, is to make a comeback. PistonHeads reported his exploratory test with the AMG-Mercedes C-Class in October 2004 (see link below).
Häkkinen will drive alongside former F1 colleague Jean Alesi, Bernd Schneider, and the young and ambitious talents Gary Paffett and Jamie Green. Paffett was the 2002 Ger-man Formula 3 Champion, participated in eight races in 2003 with a one-year-old car and moved up to the HWA team last year. He won three races and ended the championship runner-up. Green clinched the 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series title after winning seven races in his Dallara Mercedes.
The English driver will race a new C-Class, to be prepared by HWA. During race weekends, Persson Motorsport will run the car. This team will also enter Bruno Spengler’s 2004 model. A second 2004 C-Class will be driven by Stefan Mücke and entered by his father Peter’s team, privateers Mücke Motorsport. Car and a spare part kit will be leased from Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.
Bruno Spengler will make his DTM debut at Hockenheim on 17 April. The Alsace-born driver participated in the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2003 (Team ASM) and 2004 (Mücke Motorsport) scoring his best result with third place at Magny-Cours last year.
The new AMG-Mercedes C-Class has been tested at Estoril, Portugal in the third week of January for the first time. The car has been set up according to the new aerodynamic DTM rules, which makes a downforce-boosting gurney flap on the rear wing mandatory.
Mika Häkkinen said, “The more I drive, the more I learn. I’m already really comfortable with last year’s car and I’m sure, I will further improve with the new AMG-Mercedes C-Class. The co-operation within the HWA team is great and I look forward to an exciting sea-son.”
Jamie Green said, “Although the touring car is considerably heavier than my last year’s Formula 3 car, I posted good lap times from the beginning. I’m already looking forward to a lot of good fights this year.“
Bruno Spengler said, “After my move to the DTM became known, the interest in Canada in the championship and in me has grown. I hope for good results to justify the confidence of my fans and of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.”
Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug said, "Of course, we are all looking forward to our new entry named Mika who is everything but unknown. He is not only two-time World Champion but also still one of the most popular race drivers in the world, and he is an ambassador for our brand as well as for motor sport in general, particularly in Germany.
"However, none of that matters to his team mates and especially the competing manufacturers’ drivers. For them, Mika is one of the many rivals on the track. He won't get any free rides for being an F1 world champion from Bernd, Jean, Gary, Jamie, Bruno and Stefan – for all of them it will be a great pleasure to beat him. The DTM is not an easy task, also not for a two-time World Champion in car racing, but Mika knows what he wants and knows what he is capable of.
“The DTM will be even more international in 2005. The new season’s field will include drivers from nine nations. In our team alone there are seven drivers from five different countries. With the races at the Grand Prix circuits at Istanbul and Spa, as well as at the street circuit in Avignon, three new, spectacular and crowd-pulling venues will add to the calendar.
"With regards to the sport, the 2005 DTM will certainly be the biggest challenge for drivers and teams since the series started. I expect about a dozen combinations of drivers and cars capable of winning, and accordingly very close gaps within the field and exciting races."
During Häkkinen's 10-year F1 career, he won 20 GPs with McLaren Mercedes, achieved 26 pole positions, 25 fastest race laps and scored 420 world championship points.
Should be superb this season with the like of Schnieder, Alesi, Hakkinen, Parfitt, Kristianson, Frentzen, Ekstrom, role on first race
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff