Hakkinen rumours gain weight

Hakkinen retired at the end of 2002 to spend time with his family. But the Finn labeled his exit as a 'sabbatical' leaving the door open for a possible return. A plumper Hakkinen was seen during the 2003 season as he took in life outside of the F1 world.

But according to the magazine Hakkinen has shed weight in the past few months and brought his fitness back up to scratch again as he targets a return to the sport that gave him two world championships. At 35-years-old he may seem over-the-hill for the highest echelon, but he is only three months older than the indomitable Michael Schumacher and two years younger than Toyota's Olivier Panis.

McLaren's team boss Ron Dennis has confirmed that Hakkinen spoke to him about a return. "It is something he is reflecting on and we discussed everything," he said. "We had a long conversation and I can honestly say that not only do I not know [about his future plans], but he doesn't know either.

"The decision and the timing of anything in Mika's career is his and there isn't anybody, any company or individual, impeding that... Whatever he wants is his decision."

Hakkinen is understood to have some outstanding contractual commitments with McLaren that could prevent him testing another F1 car until January next year, but a race seat at his old team is not in the offing for the team already has Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya signed up.

The most likely option, then, is Williams, but team boss Frank Williams was coy when asked if he and Hakkinen had held talks.

"Mika may have talked to quite a few people, but not necessarily to us," he said. "I cannot speak about it. We never talk about our drivers until they are signed."

Double world champion or not, Hakkinen faces stiff competition for a Williams seat with mark Webber, Giancarlo Fisichella, David Coulthard and fellow retiree, Jacques Villeneuve, all eager to put pen to paper with the Grove-based team.