McLaren announce their driver line-up for 1995

PR Courtesy Marlboro McLaren Mercedes

The Marlboro McLaren Mercedes team have nominated Mika Hakkinen and Nigel Mansell as their race drivers for the 1995 FlA Formula One World Championship, and British F3 Champion Jan Magnussen as their test driver.

Mika Hakkinen will start his second full season for the Marlboro McLaren team. Since his debut at the 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix, the 26-year-old Finnish driver has scored 43pts for the team and finished 4th in the 1994 Drivers Championship. Mika is progressing all the time", said McLaren's Managing Director Ron Dennis. "In 1994, he confirmed his potential, combining his natural talent and speed with a growing maturity. He has rapidly become a strong asset for the team."

Nigel Mansell, the 1992 F1 World Champion, returned to Formula One in 1994 after winning the 1993 Indy Car World Series. The Englishman competed in four Grands Prix, winning the Australian race in impressive style, and produced some of the most exciting moments of the 1994 season. "We are delighted to welcome Nigel to the team", commented Ron Dennis. "Over the years, he has lost none of his enthusiasm for the sport, and his wealth of experience will be invaluable to us as we start our association with Mercedes. He will also make an ideal team mate for Mika, who will be able to measure himself against an established race winner."

"For us it is great to have the talent of Mika Hakkinen as well as the experience of Nigel Mansell, who personifies the will to succeed," commented Norbert Haug, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. "We are also delighted to have a young talent like Jan Magnussen, who will complement his Marlboro McLaren Mercedes testing obligations with a DTM Mercedes works drive."

Jan Magnussen joins the team after an outstanding season in the 1994 British F3 Championship, when he clinched the title with a record 14 wins out of 18 races. The 21-year-old Danish driver had a successful outing in the McLaren MP4/9 at Estoril last October, and impressed the team with his natural speed and positive attitude.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= + Kelvin Fielding + =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- kfieldin@cix.compulink.co.uk Tel: +1-44-1249-720987 Racing Into The Future Fax: +1-44-1249-720740 -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_