Nokian Tyres to start co-operation with the Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen

Press release Feb 15th 2016

The two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen will become a brand ambassador of Nokian Tyres. The world´s northernmost tyre manufacturer and Häkkinen have signed a multi-year partnership contract. Häkkinen will take part in various projects, e.g. promote safe driving during the coming years.

“Mika is an iconic Finn who has shown with his personal example how to succeed and go to the very top in the world of Formula One”, says Ari Lehtoranta, President and CEO of Nokian Tyres.

“He is a very down-to-earth person but at the same time an example of what the will to win and an uncompromising desire to reach ever better results can achieve. This is exactly the kind of drive we at Nokian Tyres value highly. We can’t wait to get our projects with Mika started.”

Shared values of the F1 Champion and Nokian Tyres

Häkkinen describes Nokian Tyres as a success story of Finnish industry skill and sees positive qualities of Finnish origin reflected in the company’s state of mind and products.

“I think being Finnish is all about having determination and guts – that Finnish ‘sisu’ – the attitude to never give up. You need to constantly learn and develop new things to stay on top and be a winner. That applies to Nokian Tyres as well: innovations and ongoing product development guarantee that they continue to be frontrunner and technology leader in tyre safety”, Häkkinen describes.

Formula One World Champion made a long career in racing and really appreciates high-quality tyres in tracks and in normal traffic.

“For me, it’s paramount that I can trust my tyres and their performance also under extreme conditions. Nokian Tyres are Northproof: developed and tested under northern extreme conditions and I know I can count on them no matter what situation. Nokian Tyres is a top brand and I’m highly looking forward to working together with them”, says Häkkinen.

Nokian Tyres - Uncompromising safety, more peace of mind

Nokian Tyres is the only tyre manufacturer in the world that focuses on products and services that advance and facilitate safe transportation in demanding conditions. The company’s innovative passenger car, truck and heavy duty machinery tyres are mainly marketed in areas that have snow, forest and changing seasons that make driving conditions challenging.

State-of-the-art product development is based on Finnish know-how from over 80 years in the business, determined testing, and a continuous search for better solutions. The company developed and manufactured the world’s first winter tyre for the winter frost in 1934. Two years later, the best-known brand Nokian Hakkapeliitta was born in the northern winter. We know that exceptionally demanding conditions require quick thinking, a relentless fighting spirit and the ability to cooperate. This recipe is also used to create the market’s most advanced summer tyres that master rough roads and heavy weather.

Nokian Tyres is the market leader in premium product groups in the Nordic countries and Russia, and it is experiencing strong growth in the Central European and North American markets.
 
Photos: www.nokiantyres.com/hakkinen

More:

Nokian Tyres – the world's northernmost tyre manufacturer
www.nokiantyres.com/company/about-us

Video: Nokian Tyres – Fastest on Ice 335,713 km/h
https://youtu.be/VW5GMsT32RM

Video: Nokian summer tyres – Testing at the extremes
http://youtu.be/6kT0wLEOxY4

At the top of winter tyre testing: Ivalo Testing Center – White Hell

http://youtu.be/UEGUTw7KHxE

Further information:

Nokian Tyres plc

Antti-Jussi Tähtinen, Vice President, Marketing and communications, tel. +358 10 401 7940
antti-jussi.tahtinen@nokiantyres.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NokianTyresCom

YouTube: www.youtube.com/NokianTyresCom

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nokiantyres

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nokian-tyres-plc

Nokian Tyres is the only tyre manufacturer in the world that focuses on customer needs in northern conditions. The company supplies innovative tyres for cars,trucks and special heavy machinery mainly in areas with special challenges on tyre performance: snow, forests and harsh driving conditions in different seasons. Nokian Tyres’ product development is consistently aiming for sustainable solutions for safety and the environment, taking into account the whole life cycle of the tyre. A part of the Nokian Tyres group, the tyre chain Vianor has 1,475 outlets in 26 countries. In 2015 Nokian Tyres had approximately 4,400 employees and net sales of approximately 1,4 billion euros. Nokian Tyres’ share is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. Further information: www.nokiantyres.com