The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Hakkinen to test drive McLaren car

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Thursday, Nov 30, 2006
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Sport - Racing : Motor

Hakkinen to test drive McLaren car

STUTTGART: Two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen is getting behind the wheel of a McLaren-Mercedes car again, five years after his retirement.

Hakkinen will test the current model of the car at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, Mercedes said. Mercedes said Hakkinen wanted to get to know the current F-1 car.

``I am looking forward to driving the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One car again to being with my old team again,'' Hakkinen said in the statement released by Mercedes. ``I thought it'd be nice to sit once again in a F-1 car.''

Hakkinen said he had retained a keen interest in the series and had spent time at a simulator. ``I'll see how F-1 has developed in the last five years and I hope I can help the team in preparing for the 2007 season,'' he said. McLaren's drivers lineup for the next season featured two-time defending champion Fernando Alonso, who has come from Renault, and rookie Lewis Hamilton.

Hakkinen will test drive the car with Hamilton.

In the past two years, Hakkinen has been driving on the DTM circuit. — AP

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