Hakkinen hints at testing role

According to an interview in this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, the Finn believes he will return to racing in F1 eventually, but hopes that McLaren will allow him to test when he wants to in the mean time.

"I know that if I want to test again, everything is possible," he said. "[McLaren boss] Ron Dennis understands me very well in this kind of situation. If my fingers are going to itch too much during next year, I believe that McLaren will be able to find one extra car for me to test."

Dennis had previously played down the chances of Hakkinen taking any sort of test role next year, but never ruled anything out.

When Hakkinen announced that he was taking a year off at this year's Italian Grand Prix, most F1 insiders believed this season would be his last and that he would eventually announce his retirement. But he told AUTOSPORT: "It is very likely that I will be racing an F1 car again, but it is impossible to say exactly when. Ask me the question again in a few months!"

He has also denied that he will take on an advisory role to his countryman Kimi Raikkonen next year. The 22-year-old has been signed to replace Hakkinen at McLaren for 2002.

For Mika Hakkinen's story in his own words, see this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, on sale tomorrow (Thursday).