NewsOnF1 - Will Mika Hakkinen make a comeback ?

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Just before the Italian Grand Prix, Mika Hakkinen announced that he will taking a break from Formula 1 in 2002 ending months of speculation on his immediate future. Kimi Raikkonen will be replacing him at McLaren next year.

But Mika Hakkinen claims that he in not ready for retirement and has indicated that he will hoping for a return to Formula 1 with McLaren when he said "Of course it might have been easier to retire, but that just isn't a decision I feel ready to take. I know that I will have to work hard to return after my break but I know that I want to return with West McLaren Mercedes."
Realistically though Kimi Raikkonen is expected to drive for McLaren for a number of years and even if David Coulthard moves to another team, it is unlikely that McLaren will have 2 Finnish drivers driving for them.

On the other hand, Mika Hakkinen drove a perfect race at Indianapolis and won it. Had Montoya not retired, it might have been a different story but given the relative lack of pace of the McLarens at Indy, Mika Hakkinen proved that he still has what it takes to win races. He indicated how relaxed he was following his win at Indy when he said "I was able to tell everybody what I planned to do in the future and I didn't have to anymore select my words what I was going to say. So I can now focus hundred percent for my driving and take everything out of these last two Grands Prix. And it was fantastic. I had a smile on my face and I was able to really focus this Grand Prix a hundred percent."

Historically most of the drivers who did take a break from racing didn't fair well on their return however Alain Prost was one exception. He won the Drivers' Title with Williams in '93 after a one year break.

Was it a wise move for Mika Hakkinen to take a sabbatical next season ? Can he make a meaningful comeback. If he can focus 100% on a race and still win then why take a break ? Does he intend coming back or is it a gracious way of retiring at a time that things did not go as he would have liked ? - Have Your Say (What others are saying)

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What others are saying:

Mika is an exceptional driver. Everyone seems to forget his record. I believe this break is exactly what he needs. I look for him to make a very strong return to Formula 1. I'd like to see him drive for Jordan when they get the new Honda engines - Richard W - United States

Mika is out. He is father and he has boy Hugo. Erja Hakkinen says you have better to stay home. I hope Corina will understand some day the same - Heikki - Finland.

I think if he is sure its what he wants to do in returning that he is professional enough and a good enough driver to return in a competitive position in 2003 he should not be wrote off as not having a chance to be world champion and I hope he is able to see some of the support he will have from his fans even though I am not one myself - Tom C - United Kingdom

Mika will make a comeback because he is the best driver just had a bit of bad luck - Steve - England

I am not so sure that he made the right decision. I can understand his reason for opting for a rest, but I feel that that is just the beginning of the end. I quite agree with Geoff that Mika is a very good driver - he has proven it over and over again. But to take a sabbatical and then hope to come back is a tall order which I don't think Mika will be up to. I mean come back to what? McLaren? Not likely. Not after the way David outperformed him during this season (for whatever reason). You are only remembered for your last season. Kimi looks set to stay for a couple of years, certainly for more than one year so that leaves Mika out of McLaren. Ferrari? Only if Mika is prepared to play second fiddle to Michael and that he won't do because that means no world championship for him. So Ferrari is out. Williams? Looks like Frank is quite happy with JPM (despite his poor season). I am not sure how Frank feels about Ralf but even if Ralf goes it would mean No 2 driver at Williams. If he is not satisfied with that it means some other team out of the top three. And we have seen what happens to Mika when he is not there up front. Mika is a competitive guy and driving for a lesser team will frustrate him. He is not a passenger. He wants to be up front. So I think Mika is on his way out and I doubt very much if we'll ever see Mika in a really challenging mode again. And he is not getting any younger. Sorry Mika, but that's just the way things are - Johan M - South Africa

In my opinion Hakkinen is still a faster driver than DC. He does not respond well to adversity and has not had a good year. Few drivers (perhaps only one of the current crew) are his equal at driving from the front, but he hasn't been there this year. Can he make a comeback? Perhaps a better perspective could have been arrived at by asking could he have stayed after dropping to the Number 2 spot at McLaren? No, Mika doesn't have the heart to be Number 2 - particularly to DC. Mika can come back, to McLaren or to another top 3 team as long as he can have a car that will let him win. Why take a break? It was the only way he could divorce himself from his performance this year. I suspect Mika will come back if he can get that 'winning drive' in 2003. If he can't then he will find another outlet for his talent and Formula One will be all the better for his having been there. Only one driver in the last five years has been able to keep MS honest, and that's been Mika. Without him at McLaren Michael would have broken all his records much sooner and far more convincingly. He, Michael, is the best - Mika has been the best of the rest and has shone in some outstanding company. Personally, I think Mika has taken the right approach and I do hope to see him back in 2003 - Geoff H - Australia

Will Mika come back?? Bloody hope not - Chris - Australia