DTM: Häkkinen signs for Mercedes

[JMeissner]

Former Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen will race in the 2005 DTM with an AMG-Mercedes C-Class, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport announced today on the occasion of the traditional Stars & Cars Day at the DaimlerChrysler Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant. Mika had tested the C-Class on 12 and 13 October 2004 at the Lausitzring completing a total of 130 laps.

Mika Häkkinen, 36, had retired from Formula One at the end of the 2001 season. During his 10-year career, he had won 20 Grands Prix with West McLaren Mercedes, achieved 26 Pole Positions, 25 fastest race laps and scored 420 World Championship points. In 1998 and 1999 he clinched the Drivers titles and finished runner-up in 2000. Mika made first experience with a DTM car in 2001, when he drove an AMG-Mercedes-Benz CLK at Brno, Czech Republic on the occasion of a promotion activity.

Mika Häkkinen is one of the most famous and popular racing drivers and has a lot of supporters all over the world - and particularly in Germany. Apart from his successes in the sport he became well known also through his pleasant commercials for the Mercedes-Benz C- and A-Classes.

Mika Häkkinen: „After the end of my Formula One career in 2001, I soon realised that I´m not ready to retire for good. It was just the right moment that Mercedes-Benz offered me to test a DTM car. I saw immediately that I still enjoy racing very much and during the test three weeks ago, my lap times were at the same level as those of the touring car specialists. I know, of course, that I first have to get used to a DTM car to be able to fight with the front runners. The AMG-Mercedes C-Class, however, is a great car and with it I want to be consistently competitive soon. I look forward to an interesting season with exciting battles - against my former Formula One colleages as well as against the young DTM drivers - and to see again my fans. I´m especially happy about returning to the Mercedes family - I´m back, but I´ve never been really gone."

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: „We are very happy about Mika´s decision to race in the DTM. Our engagement and the Championship will gain a lot from his commitment. Since Mika was driving for us, he was always interested in DTM and we talked a lot about it. Watching the 2004 season on TV Mika has become a real DTM fan, as he told us. During his test he proved that he didn´t lose his speed. We look forward to exciting battles next year."



Source: DTM

[FIRE]

Not a surprise, I have my doubts it's the right way for Mercedes to score victories.

[rustyfan]

Not to mention, from what I have heard, Hakkinen wasn't the fastest driver during the recent testing either...

Anyhow, it will be great to see him back out there - I just hope he will be reasonably competitive.

[gttouring]

is this cool or what?
he signs out of F1 at the peak of his F1 days and out a champion- not by luck but a repeat WDC. now he is in DTM this is sooo excellent

[kmchow]

I wonder how well will he do? Better, same or worse than Alesi? Let's hope his involvement will bring the DTM more attention!

[Russfeld]

Who's he replacing?

[luke]

Well good luck to him, yet another star in the DTM.

[Kicking-back]

Probably Albers.

This is a great move by Mercedes - Mika will be bang on the pace next year.

[FIRE]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Probably Albers.

This is a great move by Mercedes - Mika will be bang on the pace next year.

According to Albers he has a contract for 2005.

[Duffacus]

Brilliant news! Now I wish the DTM would just come back to England...

[alesi95]

Originally posted by Russfeld
Who's he replacing?

Alesi was increasingly frustrated by the direction of development AMG took from mid season last year. I'm beginning to fear it may be him.

Albers is more likely though.

Contract for 2005 could easily mean being squeezed into 2004 equipment, Look at Dumbreck in 2002.

[John Winter]

It could very well depend on what will happen to Jaguar F1 (three cars per team or not). Rumours say Paffett will leave DTM for F1, but there are also indications that Mercedes will get a new team which will preparate new cars, so there will be 6 new AMG's.

[kmchow]

Originally posted by John Winter
It could very well depend on what will happen to Jaguar F1 (three cars per team or not). Rumours say Paffett will leave DTM for F1, but there are also indications that Mercedes will get a new team which will preparate new cars, so there will be 6 new AMG's.

So will MB has a possibility of fielding 6 x 2005 cars and 4 x 2004 cars? Or will they field 6 x 2005 cars and just 2 x 2004 cars?

[John Winter]

Both are possible, but I think it will be more likely 6 * 2005 cars and 3 * 2004 cars

[touringcarnut]

More of a PR exercise for the year perhaps? I wish him the best though

[luke]

The DTM just got better, I mean try matching the talent in the series, against other championships.

[DavidStHubbins]

I reckon he'll win the title. The bloke is a natural behind the wheel and he is no slouch in tintops either.

Anyone remember him in the Porsche supercup in 93(I think)?! Two races, two wins, at Monaco and Hungary.

Cream em Mika

[kmchow]

But with Opel pulling out at the end of '05, can the DTM survive?? Perhaps this will be the one and only year Hakkinnen will race in the DTM?? I wonder which sponsor will he carry? Could sponsors be fighting to see who gets him?

[FIRE]

Originally posted by kmchow
But with Opel pulling out at the end of '05, can the DTM survive?? Perhaps this will be the one and only year Hakkinnen will race in the DTM??

Maybe if:
- DTM changes to a private teams championship (with some factory support).
- Costs are reduced

The succesfull Australian V8 Supercars is able to survive with only 2 manufacturers.

Originally posted by kmchow
I wonder which sponsor will he carry? Could sponsors be fighting to see who gets him?

Probably he gets a car with a Mercedes related sponsor (like Daimler-Chrysler Bank or AMG).

[Kicking-back]

I heard he wasn't any slower than the regulars.

I think Mika will win some races.

[JMeissner]

As I said before, no Häkkinen-bashing in here! I've deleted some posts here and I do NOT want to do that again...

If you have any questions about this, PM me.

[touringlegend]

Hakkinen will attract a lot of potential sponsors I guess, so I wouldn't be surprised to see someone other than a Merc company on the car.

[flor]

i think they will have "salzgitter" bigger on the cars next year anyway

[FIRE]

What's "salzgitter"?

[flor]

merc sponsor http://www.salzgitter-ag.de/