Hakkinen plays down Williams links.

Mika Hakkinen has poured cold water on rumours suggesting that he may be contemplating a Formula One comeback with Williams - three years after he called time on his grand prix career.

The Finnish media - including newspapers Iltalehti and Turun Sanomat - fanned the flames of speculation by suggesting that the 1998 and 1999 world champion was to test with the team later this summer, having apparently used links with BMW to start talks.

Hakkinen, however, has now scotched the rumours, claiming that he is happily retired and enjoying family life with wife Erja and son Hugo. The 35-year old appeared in Monaco the year after his retirement, and seemed to have enjoyed the quiet life by putting on weight. Sources close to the Finn claim that he has now made an effort to get back into shape, however, possibly creating the speculation that he was planning a return to competition.

Hakkinen has not shunned motorsport altogether since his retirement, competing on the Arctic Rally for Mitsubishi and, more recently, entering the Mille Miglia with wife Erja as co-driver in a 1952 Mercedes. He is also slated to race in the national Porsche Cup this weekend.

In the event that the rumours prove to be true, Hakkinen would face competition for the Williams seat from an increasingly long list of candidates, including Mark Webber, Giancarlo Fisichella, Marc Gene, Antonio Pizzonia, Nick Heidfeld, former McLaren team-mate David Coulthard, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve and even NASCAR ace Jeff Gordon - all of whom have been speculated as being targeted by the team for 2005.