Hakkinen return dismissed

Hakkinen and David Coulthard spent seven years as team-mates

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has dismissed stories linking Mika Hakkinen with a return to Formula One.

The Finnish star, who won the F1 title in 1998 and 1999 before retiring in 2002, has reportedly lost weight in a bid to join up with Williams.

However his good friend Dennis said: "I spoke to Mika recently and I didn't sense he had any thoughts of a return.

"He talks about most things with me and it seems unlikely he has a clear-cut decision to come back."

Dennis, who signed Hakkinen from Lotus and nurtured him to the two world titles, forged a strong relationship with the Finn after his near-fatal accident in 1995.

"When you go out of motor racing and you build a relationship with your family, you are seeing them every day, seeing the kids grow up," said Dennis.

"I would imagine it would be very difficult to say `now we are going to go test endlessly and go to race meetings."

Meanwhile fellow world champion Jacques Villeneuve could be making a Formula One comeback.

The Canadian has already spoken with Williams and he is one of several drivers they are considering for 2005.

Villeneuve is believed to be preparing for a test drive but team owner Sir Frank Williams said: "We have no date on that.

"We've had a conversation with lots of people but there's no intent yet to test any driver.

"It's preferable a driver has Formula One experience in such a difficult, specialised business."