McLaren have poured cold water on suggestions former champion Mika Hakkinen could act as a mentor to Formula One rookie Lewis Hamilton next season.

“I don’t think that Mika is a natural mentor, to be honest,” chief executive Martin Whitmarsh said at the McLaren factory after confirming such a role had been considered.

“He’s got a whole range of good human qualities… but it would be very unusual, unless it’s your son, that a successful racing driver has gone on to mentor someone else to emulate what he did.

“I can’t imagine that it would actually be something that would motivate and excite him.”

Briton Hamilton, 21, faces a daunting debut in Formula One with double world champion Fernando Alonso as his team mate.

Hakkinen, 38, is also a double champion and last month made a test comeback with McLaren after retiring from F1 in 2001.

That return raised speculation the Finn, who has spent the last two years racing in the DTM German touring car series, was contemplating some sort of a return to the sport with the team.

Whitmarsh said some of his observations on the handling of the car had been useful to the team and he did not rule out further tests.

“If Mika came and said ‘Actually, I wouldn’t mind every six months having another go’, I think we’d take it seriously,” he said.

Eurosport

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