Hakkinen's condition upgraded

Mika Hakkinen continues his rapid recovery from his high-speed accident on Friday. His diagnosis has been upgraded from "potential brain damage" to "a severe concussion". He no longr requires a respirator for breathing.

He is expected to stay under observation in the intensive care unit at Royal Adelaide Hospital until Monday. He will then continue his recovery in a standard hospital room until he is able to safely fly back to Europe, probably next weekend.

After regaining consciousness on Saturday, Hakkinen slept comfortably on Saturday night, and is now thinking and talking normally. The doctors now expect him to make a full recovery and be able to return to racing.

"The specialists have considered his recovery, and especially its speed, as remarkable," said Ron Dennis, McLaren team manager. "It seems likely that recovery could be much faster than anyone anticipated."

Dennis credited the track marshals and doctors for their quick thinking and action in the aftermath of the accident. One of the marshals held Hakkinen's head upright immediately after the impact, and one of the three doctors, who arived in less than a minute, was a neurosurgeon. "Without a doubt it was their behaviour and their performance, assisted by Professor Watkins [of FIA], which saved Mika's life.