Mika Häkkinen to retire as driver in German DTM series

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Mika Häkkinen is retiring as a racing driver in the German DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) series. The Finnish double Formula One World Champion completed three seasons in the German-based touring car racing series.
      Häkkinen announced his retirement at the season-closing ceremony of his Mercedes team.
     
"It's time for me to stop racing in the DTM. Driving in the series has been a pleasure", Häkkinen declared to the audience.
      "That's the bad news", Häkkinen continued, addressing the team interest groups. "The good news is for the other competitors - they can have some peace on the track now."
     
Häkkinen, 39, who is very popular in Germany, won the Formula One World Championship with the McLaren team in 1998 and 1999.
      Häkkinen took part in 161 F1 Grand Prix races, winning 20 of them. He retired from the sport in 2001, but announced his intention to make a comeback in 2004. However, talks with the Williams F1 stable broke down and instead Häkkinen joined the Mercedes team in DTM for the 2005 season.
     
Of his 31 races in the DTM series, Häkkinen won three.
      In the 2007 season he finished eighth.
      During his last season in the series the Finn topped the podium twice and took pole position in qualifying on two occasions.


Links:
  Mika Häkkinen (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat