Mika Hakkinen on Michael Schumacher: "Giving up was not in his vocabulary"

The possibility of flying to Woking
Through the start-up ‘Get Your Guide,’ McLaren fans, or Formula 1 enthusiasts in general, will be able to book a visit to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking to discover the inner workings of the facility and see some of the most iconic cars in the history of the team. Among these are the cars driven by Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999, the years when one of the team’s iconic figures won his two Formula 1 world championships.

The rivalry between Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher
Between the 1990s and 2000s, the ‘Flying Finn’ became famous not only for his successes but also for his intense rivalry with Michael Schumacher, considered one of the greatest in modern Formula 1 history. Interviewed by f1-insider.com, the former number 1 driver was asked what he would tell German visitors traveling to Woking about his duels with the seven-time world champion: “We have a long history together,” he replied. “We were challenging each other in karting when we were 14 years old. Our rivalry, in some ways, started back then. I once beat him as a guest in a German Formula 3 race, and he didn’t like that at all. However, we had great duels. He was a tough opponent, never leaving much space, always defending fiercely. There were many aspects of him that I admired, and the most important was never giving up. Giving up was not in his vocabulary, and I hope this quality helps him even today.”

Not always roses and sunshine
A rivalry that lasted over the years, from the junior categories to Formula 1, but one that didn’t spare some moments of tension between the two, never degenerating into on-track clashes or venomous controversies: “I often got angry with him,” Mika Hakkinen admitted. “For example, at Spa in 2000, when he pushed me onto the grass at 300 km/h. On that occasion, I told him to use common sense. At that speed, it’s a matter of life or death. He just shook his head and looked at me quizzically. For him, it was a race. In the end, he was the best among us. Michael, in addition to being a great natural talent, was a person who worked very hard, was mentally very strong, and also very smart. He knew exactly what he wanted and said it very directly. Victories don’t come by chance. They are the result of hard work.”

An approach that made Mika Hakkinen very popular in Germany, where he is still considered a ‘gentleman’: “I believe everything transforms: everything you do comes back to you, and that’s how an image is formed.”

Mika Hakkinen’s children in motorsport
Unlike Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen does not have children who have reached the highest levels of motorsport, although his hopes are primarily focused on the very young Ella: “My son Hugo drove for six years, but somehow he found it too stressful between school and driving: it didn’t work for him anymore. If he were to start over today, he might do some things differently, but now my daughter Ella, who is twelve, drives, as well as my son Daniel, who is nine. She has a lot of talent and is really special. I have to be very careful about what I say to avoid creating pressure, but racing is looking for women, and she loves racing. That’s why I support her as much as possible, but reaching Formula 1 one day is, of course, a very difficult road.”