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Wednesday September 23, 2009

Formula One will survive scandal, says Hakkinen

SINGAPORE: The race-fixing controversy that has shamed Formula One is a bump on the road that the sport will quickly get past, according to former world champion Mika Hakkinen.

The Finn, who escaped from a horrific accident that almost killed him before he won the world title in 1998 and 1999, said motor racing’s premier category would also survive the ugly scandal surrounding the Renault team.

“Show must go on,” said Hakkinen. “People who have done wrong, they need a penalty ... And life has to go on.”

F1 has been plunged into controversy after Renault were found to have ordered Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix to help his team-mate Fernando Alonso to win the race.

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore was barred for life on Monday for his role and former engineering head Pat Symonds was banned for five years. Piquet walked away unpunished after being given immunity from prosecution for testifying.

The controversy has cast an unsavoury shadow over the sport and undermined F1’s credibility at a time when it is looking to bolster support and shore up investment.

But Hakkinen, who would have died at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix without the intervention of quick-thinking doctors who performed an emergency trackside tracheotomy, remains upbeat about the future.

“Forget it and concentrate on the future. I think what is important now is a great grand prix is coming.”

Hakkinen, in Singapore ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix, said Sunday’s night-time spectacle was just the first step on the sport’s road to recovery, as was the return next season of Lotus, the glamour-name that he started his career with.

“I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s absolutely brilliant. A new organisation in F1, new team in F1, new people in F1. All of this is a positive thing.”

Running his hand through his blond-streaked hair the 41-year-old Hakkinen issued one piece of advice.

“You really, really have to keep your feet down on earth. You have to have the right people running the operation. Obviously (there is) a lot of money involved, and you need professional people.

“So they, the people who have de­­cid­ed to bring the Lotus back, and run the F1 team, I hope they have a good plan to get the right people.” — Reuters

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