Mika Hakkinen is set to team up with Valtteri Bottas at the 2022 Race of Champions, as the prestigious event returns for the first time since 2019. Hakkinen will team up with his compatriot to represent Team Finland at the Pite Havsbad venue in Sweden in February 2022, marking Hakkinen's first race since a one-off appearance in a McLaren 720S at the Suzuka 10 Hours. He retired from full-time racing in 2007 after a spell in the DTM. "I'm very excited to be back racing again and to finally be able to participate in the Race Of Champions," said Hakkinen. "It will be very different from racing in Formula 1, but I love competition and it's so spectacular driving on snow and ice. I'll try to get some practice at my place in the north of Finland before the event." Bottas teams up with Hakkinen to try to win the Nations Cup for Finland for the first time since Heikki Kovalainen and Marcus Gronholm managed it in 2006. "I'm very happy to have him as my teammate representing Finland in the ROC Nations Cup," said Bottas. "But then, of course, we have to try to beat each other in the individual Race Of Champions. It will be entertaining for the fans, whoever wins it." The Race of Champions always attracts big names to the event, all eager to win the light-hearted competition that pits drivers from various disciplines against each other in equal machinery. Other competitors confirmed at this point are nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb, Le Mans' Tom Kristensen and reigning World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson.
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