UNITED KINGDOM: WORLD GRAND PRIX CHAMPION MIKA HAKKINEN DRIVES HIS MCLAREN FORMULA ONE CAR THROUGH STREETS OF WOKING TO THANK LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR THEIR SUPPORT

Record ID: 337814

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: WORLD GRAND PRIX CHAMPION MIKA HAKKINEN DRIVES HIS MCLAREN FORMULA ONE CAR THROUGH STREETS OF WOKING TO THANK LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR THEIR SUPPORT
  • Date: 22nd November 1998
  • Summary: WOKING, SURREY, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 22 1998) 1. CARS DRIVING IN CENTRE OF WOKING PAST SPECTATORS WAITING TO SEE MIKA HAKKINEN DRIVE PAST 2. CHILDREN WITH FINNISH AND UNION JACK FLAGS 3. SPECTATORS WAITING FOR HAKKINEN 4. WORLD CHAMPION MIKA HAKKINEN WAVES TO FANS AS HE RIDES IN OPEN-TOP MERCEDES CAR 5. WOMAN WATCHING FROM A HIGH WINDOW WAVES 6. MIKA HAKKINEN DRIVES PAST IN FORMULA ONE MCLAREN AND FANS WAVE 7. HAKKINEN DRIVES FORMULA ONE CAR INTO TOWN SQUARE WHERE CROWD OF SPECTATORS CHEER 8. DECORATIONS 9. MAYOR OF WOKING PRESENTS HAKKINEN AND TEAM BOSS RON DENNIS WITH PLAQUE OF WOKING'S COAT OF ARMS 10. CROWD 11. HAKKINEN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS/RON DENNIS 12. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) MIKA HAKKINEN SAYING people were amazing, there were so many people cheering Mclaren, cheering me, it's just unbelievable, I really appreciate it a lot. 13. REPORTERS 14. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) MIKA HAKKINEN SAYING what was most enjoyable...was that it was a very unusual occasion when people could get close to a Grand Prix car when it goes and accelerates 15. REPORTERS 16. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) MIKA HAKKINEN TALKING ABOUT THE SEASON'S CHALLENGE BY FERRARI AND MICHAEL SCHUMACHER SAYING it was great, I think that's the way it should be, did I enjoy it now I say yes because I won it perhaps... I like competition, I think it will also help people realize it is a difficult sport, it isn't easy, you always have to fight for it 17. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) RON DENNIS SAYING this region is very much a centre of excellence for the sport, it's an area that owes its heritage to the aerospace industry, an area covered in support companies, which supplied the aerospace industry and now support the motorsport industry. Even if you are a vertically integrated company like McLaren there is always a need for good suppliers and that's what this area offers. It's a magnet for the expertise of technical people and if you really want to make a future in motorsport you have to be within fifty miles of our own hometown Woking 18. HAKKINEN WAVING TO CROWDS FROM OPENTOP CAR Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th December 1998 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WOKING, SURREY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAR95MIDNT25488KEHZAWBY705
  • Story Text: Grand Prix champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland drove his
    Formula One McLaren car round the English town of Woking to
    thank the local residents for their support of the winning
    McLaren team which is based there.

    Thousands of Woking residents packed the kerbs and
    walkways around the town on Sunday (November 22) as their
    favourite driver gave a noisy demonstration lap.

    The McLaren team boss Ron Dennis joined Hakkinen to
    receive a vote of thanks from the town's mayor Rosemary
    Johnson, and he in turn thanked the townspeople for their
    support.

    Hakkinen won the 1998 world championship at the beginning
    of November when he won the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka,
    while his rival Michael Schumacher retired with a blown tyre.

    McLaren also won the constructors' title.

    After the demonstration run Hakkinen said he greatly
    appreciated that so many people came out to cheer the team.

    The champion said he was delighted that it gave people the
    opportunity to get close to a Formula One car, and he hoped it
    would attract more people to motorsport.

    Asked about his season-long rivalry with Michael
    Schumacher, Hakkinen said it had been great.He added that he
    loved competition and to appreciate a win it is always better
    to fight for it.

    Ron Dennis spoke about how Woking, and the region of
    southern England around it, contributes to the excellence of
    the British motorsport industry.

    He said the area, north of London, has become a centre for
    technical expertise.Specialist companies, that first supplied
    the early aerospace industry, are now catering for the
    specialised needs of motor-racing, and that has attracted
    racing teams to become based there.

    McLaren, Jordan, Benetton, Arrows, Stewart, British
    American Racing and Williams are all located within about
    fifty miles of each other in the region.

    Only teams like Ferrari, Prost, Sauber and Minardi are
    based elsewhere.


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