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Raikkonen retirement talk 'tactically not smart' - Hakkinen

Raikkonen retirement talk 'tactically not smart' - Hakkinen

  • Published on 14 Jul 2014 12:40
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Mika Hakkinen has questioned countryman Kimi Raikkonen's admission that he will "probably" retire after the 2015 season. Finn Raikkonen, who replaced Hakkinen at McLaren when the double world champion retired in 2001, said at Silverstone that he is unlikely to seek a new contract once his current Ferrari tenure ends.

"Everyone does what he thinks is right," Hakkinen said in his latest interview for sponsor Hermes, "but in my opinion that was not tactically very smart. If the mechanics and everyone else knows that a driver intends to just hang up his helmet in a year and a half, then they will probably pay more attention to the other driver, in this case Fernando Alonso," the 45-year-old added.

Hakkinen also thinks Raikkonen's admission reveals a lot about his current state of mind. "When you start to think about quitting," he said, "it has a negative effect on your motivation. You find you can no longer focus on many things that you need to focus on in formula one."

But, unlike some others, Hakkinen does not think Raikkonen's huge crash at Silverstone was a case in point. Some have criticised the Ferrari driver for the way he rejoined the track after running wide at the start of the British grand prix.

But Hakkinen said: "Silverstone is a good track, but why is there such a big bump? When a formula one car loses contact with the ground at speed, no driver can control it anymore. The race has just started and the drivers are full of adrenalin, so of course he wants to come back as soon as possible. I wouldn't blame Kimi," he insisted. (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Ferrari McLaren

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Date
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Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
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Baku City Circuit
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Gilles Villeneuve
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Silverstone
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Spa-Francorchamps
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Marina Bay Street Circuit
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Losail International Circuit
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Circuit of the Americas
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Brazil
Interlagos
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Las Vegas Street Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
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Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
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21 - Jul 23
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28 - Jul 30
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25 - Aug 27
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1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
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Brazil Interlagos
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ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 466
  • Podiums 8
  • Grand Prix 137
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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