Rumour: Mika Hakkinen and Keke Rosberg part company

[Suzy]

I've just picked up in this rumours coming from Finland and British magazine Autosport indicating that Mika Hakkinen has parted company with his long-term manager Keke Rosberg.

Finnish news site www.turunsanomat.fi carried the following quotes from the two men involved:

Keke Rosberg: "I wish all the best to Mika, I've done my job. Contracts have been made ready if Mika decides to come back racing. It has been privilege to work with true champion".

Mika Hakkinen: "It is time to move on and I am ready to take care of my own business. Keke has given me hard but upright guidance. I doubt that I could have been so succesful without him".

There are several significant comments in those short statements. Firstly, Keke Rosberg's insistence thta "contracts have been made ready" which to me indicates that Mika may be back in 2003.
Also, Mika's comment about being "ready to take care of my own business" could be interpreted as Mika considering taking on a role as an advisor to up-and-coming young drivers.

Hopefully the split, if confirmed, will prove to be an amicable one and Mika/Keke fans won't have to endure the prospect of a lengthy and bitter court battle.

You know, for me, it's too weird. This indicates a deeper rift. I understand from Finnish sources that Keke didn't want Mika to walk away just yet and to give it another year to see if things improve. But that didn't happen. The big question is WHY has it happened? What about Didier Coton? How's Mika's departure going to affect him? Didier is Mika's confidant as well as his manager - and I cannot see either of these falling out over anything.

Anyway, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that Mika is falling apart at the seams. Maybe I am over-reacting but I do not recognise the Mika I've been seeing and hearing about. Our website yesterday posted the latest picture of Mika and he looks a terrible mess.

From a personal point-of-view, I can only repeat what I posted on the site: "I don't think this sabbatical is doing him quite as much good as it should be. He looks to me to be in a state that I can only describe as being a combination of hung-over and exhausted. His expression also looks to me as if he's been caught by surprise whilst doing something he shouldn't! Quite what is beyond me though.

I'm a big fan of Mika as you all know and I don't like seeing him like this to be honest. I much prefer the chirpy, blond Mika with a cheery smile and a twinkle in his eye. That's the Mika I'm used to seeing; not this chap who looks as if he hasn't slept since the Japanese GP!

I don't want anybody to think that I'm being nasty to Mika; I'm not but I am expressing my opinion. I'm used to seeing a happy Mika with a big glint in his eyes. I'd post a picture if I could remember how to do it to show you all what I mean."

[f1manoz]

All good things must come to an end, concerning Mika and Keke, but I don't like to hear the news about Mika. Hope it isn't all as bad as it seems.

Regarding next year, I still don't think he'll be back as a driver, but the news he may be back as an advisor is not far-fetched at all.

[Glen]

a combination of hung-over and exhausted

Kids - they'll do that to you every time. That's my excuse anyway.

[DMC]

Originally posted by Suzy I don't want anybody to think that I'm being nasty to Mika; I'm not but I am expressing my opinion. I'm used to seeing a happy Mika with a big glint in his eyes. I'd post a picture if I could remember how to do it to show you all what I mean." [/B]

Being nasty to him? The amount of detail you go into, you must be his biggest fan!

[mjstallard]

I want my Mika back :'(

[Fuel]

Mika will be comung back next year, without keke, but at least he will be back. The fact that he will take control of his own managing in which-ever sense it is interpretated, will be for the better. There where alot of problems with mika and keke, that aren't well known.

[Red]

Yes, he'll be back.








But this time noone will make him sell the F360 Modena he deserves

[Fuel]

he will be back!

[Old Hairpin]

Mika the dude

[Bononi]

Suzy, just nice as always.

Use the use the right button of your mouse on pic and use the "copy link" option, then post a reply and use the "img" button on top of the reply box. When the img box appears use the right button again to paste the link...

Please, We want to see what you mean !!

[Suzy]

Does the picture have to be on the Internet already because the one I've got in mind isn't. Or is there a kind soul who can oblige and help me out?

Anyway, I'm still baffled by the decision to drop Keke. I'll get to the bottom of it sooner or later though (I hope:confused.

[Bononi]

Uhn... dear, use the attachment button then (below reply box) and browse your HD to load it...

[Suzy]

Right then: Red has very kindly helped me with getting the picture online. Now, can I follow the straightforward instructions? Let's try and paste this link in and see what happens (somehow I sense that I may end up corrupting the whole Ten-Tenths network)

If this has worked, you will see a happy and relaxed Mika - and an even happier (but overcome with excitement) Suzy! Yes, I just had to be selfish and ensure that I was in the picture too

Fingers crossed...

[Crash and Burn]

AHHH!!! isn't that nice...

[EERO]

Suzy, my reaction to your comments about Mika's appearence was the same one Glen had. Its exhausting being a parent-rewarding, but exhausting. If MH really wanted to be as involved in rearing Hugo as he suggested, the poor man is wiped out.
I have really appreciated all you have shared with us about him. but truth be told, I hope he stays out of the driver's seat. He had a terrific career and got safely away. If he is as unhappy as you suggest, then perhaps the lure of compettion is strong. But I suspect that its just the period of adjustment in attempting to find a new purpose for his life after his single-minded pursuit of racing for his entire life.

My first thought upon reading the quote from Rosberg you posted earlier is that Mika has NO intention of returning to the cockpit, but that a lot of different parties are hoping he does.

Cheers.
-E.

[Airhead]

EERO as perceptive as ever.

I think the bar (not the under performing F1 team) has been raised since the eighties when Lauda came back for Ron. Prioirities change. Plus Mika knows what it is like to spend nine long years in the wilderness, there's no going back there.

Nice picture Suzy.

[Mania]

I always believed that Mika would be back in 03 - now Im starting to have second thoughts.

See, I think Mika deep down wants to drive once again but I think he's also smart enough to realize that he's accomplished a lot in formula one and he has a family at home who he obviously wants to come home too.

Letting Keke go - seems to indicate to me that his days in formula one are over and he doesent plan on returning to the cockpit.

It's a shame because I think we need Mika in F1 but hey - family comes first so all the best to him.

[av8rirl]

Definitely sounds like his driving career is over. He is better off staying away now. He went out at (near) the top. No point in coming back to run mid-field.

[Valve Bounce]

From F1-Live:

As the Finnish commentators were busily relaying information from the hour long
qualifying session from Albert Park, an irate caller phoned in several times to criticize their work, pointing out bits of information that they had failed to divulge. The caller? None other than the double world champion who was obviously very unhappy with the coverage provided!

Mika is suffering from post retirement trauma, and he is totally frustrated being separated from the one thing that was his whole being. His only recourse is to return immediately and start testing. There is no other cure.

[Valve Bounce]

Sorry, I forgot the smilie

[Bibendum]

Um, interesting that there's a guy in the background wearing a WilliamsF1 hat!

I think Mika looks just fine, really. He always looked a bit like an adolescent with a skin condition; hell, look at Kimi -- maybe it's a Finnish trait. Not out in the sun enough.

[everett brown]

Valve Bounce hit the head on the nail, Mika is suffering from post retirement truma. His life has been F1. Myself i have allways thought it streange for him to retire in the first place. I have seen it to many times before. But in Mika's case, he was so good a driver, i belive the season he had the year before last was a big part of it. Having to produce in a race car that doesnt work is a awesome job. I dont belive for a moment that Mika wouled retire for home life. No, it was something far deeper.

[Fuel]

go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go go mika go

[Valve Bounce]

Here's a thought. I reckon Mika and Alesi should band together, get Bernie to finance the 48 Million, buy the F2001's off Ferrari after Sepang, and the two of them should go racing with Jackie Stewart as the Manager.

[Kalevi]

That news from F1-live is cr@p. I watched the same bernievision broadcast the story is referring to and there were no indication of Mika nor anybody else calling to the commentators during qualifying. The commentators would not had any chance to answer any phone calls either because they were on the air all time. News is rubbish.