Mika Hakkinen is keen on helping his former team McLaren in a support role, according to the Woking-based outfit’s boss Ron Dennis.
The 37-year-old Fin has been linked with a return to the team that he won his two world championships with in some capacity since he visited the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix as a guest of Mercedes last month.
Although speculation that he could even make an F1 race return after five years was ended with the announcement that Lewis Hamilton would take the team’s second seat in 2007, Dennis admitted that Hakkinen was interested in ways he could help the team prepare for next season following a go in its race simulator.
“Initially that was because he wanted to see how real the experience was, how the car felt and what is was like to drive a grand prix car using advanced simulation technology which is what I think we have,” he said.
“And it will be followed up by more support.
He added: "But as an overall statement, Mika has been a part of our family, he is keen to contribute and, on the basis of Kimi [Raikkonen] and Juan Pablo Montoya not being available and not being appropriate to the work we are doing for next year, Mika can evaluate some of the things we are developing and bringing to the car.
"It was an interesting exercise and his enthusiasm is growing, but there is no intention for him to race."
Dennis also says Hakkinen’s interest grew while in the paddock at Interlagos last month and that the Finn is currently weighing up his future plans.
“He showed a very keen interest in the team and the original intention of going to Brazil was to be at the last GP, see the outcome of the world championship and that almost rekindled his emotional involvement with the team," he said.
"The programme in the last few weeks was one of trying to support Mika's desire to be involved and better in motorsport.
“What I mean by that is that he has yet to agree with Mercedes Benz whether to continue in the DTM.
"He has a very positive proposal from Mercedes, and he is keen to understand what he can and can't contribute to our programme."
I think now that Schumi has retired, Mika is thinking of re entering F1
SOURCE: itv-f1
Mika Hakkinen keen on testing role in McLaren
