MIKA復出二部曲......
銀箭奇謀....

Press conference for Mika Hakkinen on May 23rd

The day that Mika fans have been waiting for will soon come. McLaren have arranged a press conference for Mika Hakkinen on May 23rd and the Monaco circuit will be the stage from which Mika will make his announcement. It's possible that the announcement could be made one day earlier, on the 22nd.

As time goes by, it is seemingly less likely that Mika will return to grace our screens and circuits worldwide in the silver arrow, however, no hankies please until the 23rd!

Some sources suggest that Mika's plans include young driver management, for which many feel that he has exactly the right temperament and experience to guide the new Flying Finns to the very top.

Speaking to Heiki Kulta of Turun Sanomat, Mika said only that his future plans are "family related". "We will just spend time together, Erja, Hugo and myself, " he revealed. "All I can really say about the future is that after Isole Eolie, we will check out Panarea and Stromboli", Mika grinned cheekily.

Mika, Erja & Hugo are cruising the Mediterranean near the Aeolian Islands at the moment on a yacht called "Northern Cross". So life on the beach has compared favourably to life in the fast lane for Mika, and perhaps the performance of the MP4-17 has played a deciding role in his decision. Mika's countryman, Kimi Rakkinen, has suffered as many car failures this year as one would expect of a Minardi or Arrows. Not exactly the right stuff with which to tempt back a double world champion.

Mika has also given his views on the Ferrari fiasco at the A1 Ring. "I wouldn't have allowed Michael to pass me", he told the readers of La Gazetta dello Sport in Sicily. "Honestly, I didn't believe that the race could end like that, Rubens allowing Michael to pass. But, big deal, the result must be accepted. The whole matter doesn't concern me in any way. I don't want to meddle in decisions made by other teams, because this incident belongs solely to Ferrari, the Ferrari drivers and tifosi. All I can say - whether there were team orders or not - that I wouldn't have allowed Schumacher to pass me if I had been in Barrichello's shoes." Which is why Mika Hakkinen is a satisfied and content double world champion, and Rubens Barrichello is not.

By Kylie Bull