Knoukka
Well-known member
- Liittynyt
- 25.5.2000
- Viestit
- 27426
Eihän tuossa ole mitään mitä ei olisi jo kertaalleen kuultu, mutta tulkoon nyt laitettua tännekin.
Dear Nigel,
Since Michael Schumacher won his first World Championship in 1994 he has fought title battles with Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and recently Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. Who in your opinion was the driver that Schumacher feared most and who do you think he has most to fear from the current generation?
Al Crawford, Australia
Dear Al,
Although there were days when Hill and Villeneuve beat him fair and square, and although Montoya, Raikkonen and Alonso have all won races in which he was competing, I don't doubt that the driver Schumacher feared most through his career (after the loss of Ayrton Senna, anyway, at which time Michael had not reached his peak) was Hakkinen.
And with good reason. Towards the end of his career, Mika lost some motivation, particularly after his accident at Melbourne in 2001, when he was chasing - and catching - Michael. It occurred because of a suspension failure (most unusual for McLaren), and a time when Hakkinen's first child had recently been born. I believe that made him think long and hard about what he was doing, and no one was too surprised when he announced his retirement at the end of that year.
Prior to 2001, though, Mika was an incredibly formidable force. Martin Brundle, formerly the team mate of both Schumacher and Hakkinen, says that if he had to pick one of them to drive for his (Martin's) life, he would go for Michael over a race distance, but Mika over one, single, banzai lap.
That makes a lot of sense. As far as I'm concerned, Hakkinen was always a better qualifier than Schumacher, somehow always capable of finding that infinitesimal something within himself when it came to making the last run. I also think he was better under pressure than Michael - indeed, Mika's mistakes tended to come when he was cruising, under no pressure whatever.
I think what he lacked, compared with Schumacher, was consistency through a race, the ability to run lap after lap after lap at near-qualifying pace. That said, when the chase was on, Hakkinen was something to behold, as anyone knows who remembers that spectacular pass of Schumacher for the lead at Spa in 2000. He was not intimidated by Michael's questionable attempts to block him (at close on 200mph), and pulled off the move to perfection.
A two-time World Champion, and a truly great driver, in my book. Schumacher never made any bones about his admiration for Hakkinen - and that's a rare thing for Michael.
As for the current generation, we know that Montoya is capable of beating Schumacher in a straight fight, because he's already done it, and I don't doubt that Raikkonen and Alonso are capable of it, too. Of the three, potentially the most complete, I would say, is Alonso, but these are still early days. And as soon as Michael knows - really knows - he's not the best any more, I think he'll be gone in a second.
Dear Nigel,
Since Michael Schumacher won his first World Championship in 1994 he has fought title battles with Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and recently Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. Who in your opinion was the driver that Schumacher feared most and who do you think he has most to fear from the current generation?
Al Crawford, Australia
Dear Al,
Although there were days when Hill and Villeneuve beat him fair and square, and although Montoya, Raikkonen and Alonso have all won races in which he was competing, I don't doubt that the driver Schumacher feared most through his career (after the loss of Ayrton Senna, anyway, at which time Michael had not reached his peak) was Hakkinen.
And with good reason. Towards the end of his career, Mika lost some motivation, particularly after his accident at Melbourne in 2001, when he was chasing - and catching - Michael. It occurred because of a suspension failure (most unusual for McLaren), and a time when Hakkinen's first child had recently been born. I believe that made him think long and hard about what he was doing, and no one was too surprised when he announced his retirement at the end of that year.
Prior to 2001, though, Mika was an incredibly formidable force. Martin Brundle, formerly the team mate of both Schumacher and Hakkinen, says that if he had to pick one of them to drive for his (Martin's) life, he would go for Michael over a race distance, but Mika over one, single, banzai lap.
That makes a lot of sense. As far as I'm concerned, Hakkinen was always a better qualifier than Schumacher, somehow always capable of finding that infinitesimal something within himself when it came to making the last run. I also think he was better under pressure than Michael - indeed, Mika's mistakes tended to come when he was cruising, under no pressure whatever.
I think what he lacked, compared with Schumacher, was consistency through a race, the ability to run lap after lap after lap at near-qualifying pace. That said, when the chase was on, Hakkinen was something to behold, as anyone knows who remembers that spectacular pass of Schumacher for the lead at Spa in 2000. He was not intimidated by Michael's questionable attempts to block him (at close on 200mph), and pulled off the move to perfection.
A two-time World Champion, and a truly great driver, in my book. Schumacher never made any bones about his admiration for Hakkinen - and that's a rare thing for Michael.
As for the current generation, we know that Montoya is capable of beating Schumacher in a straight fight, because he's already done it, and I don't doubt that Raikkonen and Alonso are capable of it, too. Of the three, potentially the most complete, I would say, is Alonso, but these are still early days. And as soon as Michael knows - really knows - he's not the best any more, I think he'll be gone in a second.
Eli ainakin omat mielikuvat Mikan aika-ajoista ovat ihan muulta ajalta kuin 1997.