FINLAND: FORMER FORMULA ONE CHAMPION MIKA HAKKINEN SAYS HE WILL TAKE PART IN THE RALLY OF FINLAND MOTOR RALLY

Record ID: 648344

  • Title: FINLAND: FORMER FORMULA ONE CHAMPION MIKA HAKKINEN SAYS HE WILL TAKE PART IN THE RALLY OF FINLAND MOTOR RALLY
  • Date: 18th December 2002
  • Summary: NEAR ROVANIEMI, FINLAND (DECEMBER 18, 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. MIKA HAKKINEN DRIVING A MITSUBISHI LANCER 2. WIDE SHOT OF HAKKINEN DRIVING 3. CLOSE UP OF HAKKINEN BEHIND THE WHEEL THEN GETTING OUT OF HIS CAR 4. HAKKINEN STANDING NEXT TO HIS CAR 5. HAKKINEN TALKING TO A COLLEAGUE 6. FATHER CHRISTMAS WALKS OVER TO SHAKE HANDS WITH HAKKINEN 7. CLOSE UP OF HAKKINEN AS HE TALKS TO FATHER CHRISTMAS 8. MECHANICS WORKING ON HAKKINEN'S CAR 9. HAKKINEN AND FATHER CHRISTMAS STANDING FOR THE CAMERAS WITH A ZOOM INTO THEIR FACES 10. HAKKINENS MITSUBISHI LANCER 11. SOUNDBITE (English) HAKKINEN SAYS "It was fun, obviously this is at maximum just a practise, i've had plenty of time just to spin the car and try it's limits and things like that so I've enjoyed it, we've had a great time with the team and with everybody. It was a good day today." 12. MECHANICS WORKING ON HAKKINEN'S CAR 13. SOUNDBITE (English) HAKKINEN SAYS "Well that's more or less the first time I've experienced a rally car compared to the experience I had with a Formula One car. The car feels fun to drive because it had long metal spikes in the tyres so we had maximum grip on the ice." 14. AN ENGINEER WITH A LAPTOP COMPUTER CHECKING THE CAR 15. SOUNDBITE (English) HAKKINEN SAYS "Well first of all we have to remember I'm a retired man. One of my dreams was always to try to rally, and now with the connection with Daimler-Chrysler-Mitsubishi it means I got the opportunity to do this rally and it was then organised. Like I said I always wanted to try the Arctic Rally, and to feel what it was like to drive a rally car and now it's possible, and that was my motivation and intention." 16. HAKKINEN DRIVING HIS RALLY CAR Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd January 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEAR ROVANIEMI, FINLAND
  • Country: Finland
  • Reuters ID: LVA98AREUV8IV88BLNQWU3XZVWZS
  • Story Text: Former Formula One world champion Mika Hakkinen said
    on Tuesday (December 17, 2002) he would get behind the wheel
    of a race car again for an Arctic Rally in Finland next month,
    but was not considering coming out of retirement.



    Hakkinen, Formula One world champion with McLaren in
    1998 and 1999, said he would drive a Mitsubishi Lancer in the
    Arctic Lappland Rally in the north of his native Finland on
    January 24 and 25 2003. Hakkinen confirmed his retirement
    from Formula One in July 2002 after taking the last season off
    to devote more time to his family
    "My home is also the home of the rally," Hakkinen said.

    "It fascinates me the way my compatriots and their colleagues
    are able to keep their vehicles (on track) despite such
    difficult road conditions, often on gravel or snow and ice."
    Hakkinen, who had 20 grand prix victories in 161 races
    during his 11-year career, said he had always wanted to try
    rally racing.

    "But I don't have any intention of starting a second
    career here," he said, adding that he would start testing in
    the Mitsubishi in Finland this week.

    The Arctic Rally begins and ends in the town of Rovaniemi.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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