Breaking news
Formula 1
Hakkinen would only return to racing "to kick some butt"
Double Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen says he would want to be able to “kick some butt” if he returned to racing, having thought “quite a lot” about the prospect.
Scott Mitchell
Published: Oct 14, 2018, 1:57 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Hakkinen left F1 after the 2001 season on a sabbatical that turned into his retirement from grand prix racing, but told Motorsport.com last month the Goodwood Revival could facilitate a comeback via historic racing.
After sampling his 1998 title-winning McLaren at Suzuka last weekend, Hakkinen said any return would need to be taken seriously.
Hakkinen said: “I think it could be quite possible, quite easily, because I have the muscles for driving I’ve done driving for so many years.
“I’m also a brand ambassador for Hintsa Performance, so I think they would help me a lot because they are taking care of many, many grand prix drivers in the field.
“All those kind of aspects are in the right place, so it would not be too difficult.
“But if you go out there you want to win, you don’t want to finish second or third. You want to win and kick some butt.”
Hakkinen became a DTM race winner after his F1 career ended but retired from professional motorsport in late 2007.
He last raced in 2011, driving a Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 in a six-hour International Le Mans Cup round in China.
Hakkinen joined fellow ex-F1 driver Jochen Mass to complete demonstration laps in a Mercedes-Benz W196 grand prix car at the 2016 Goodwood Members Meeting, then appeared at this year’s Revival as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations for his first F1 title.
He stressed that the main barrier to seriously investing in racing again would be his personal and business commitments, including Mercedes-Benz and Johnnie Walker.
“I thought about it quite often,” he said of racing again. “f I would do some kind of racing I think it would be exciting to do something.
“But honestly it takes time, it’s a commitment. I’m quite busy with my brand ambassador work with the company and five kids at home, that’s not a holiday either.
“If I add something in my life more it just takes time away from the family and the work I do for the company.
“It has to be balanced.”
Mika Hakkinen demonstrates a 1998 McLaren Mercedes
Photo by: Andy Hone / LAT Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Sampling Suzuka with a future F1 star
Next article McLaren's 2007 meltdown plays on Mercedes mind
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Mika Hakkinen
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Formula 1
Formula 1
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Mika Hakkinen reveals why McLaren rivalry with David Coulthard never boiled over
Formula 1
Formula 1
Dutch GP
Mika Hakkinen reveals why McLaren rivalry with David Coulthard never boiled over
Mika Hakkinen urges McLaren not to "rock the boat" with Max Verstappen move
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mika Hakkinen urges McLaren not to "rock the boat" with Max Verstappen move
Latest news
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 14 h
IndyCar 2026 season review: ECR
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
14 h
Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ non-title years: ‘We weren’t complete losers’
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 15 h
Renger van der Zande moves to IMSA’s LMP2 class full-time with Tower Motorsports
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
15 h
Nick Sanchez will compete for 2027 NASCAR Truck title with McAnally-Hilgemann
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe