Hakkinen: “Natural to beat him”

Mika Hakkinen, born on 28th of September 1968, was Michael Schumacher’s greatest rival, and the only one the great German feared. Mika Hakkinen remembers: “In the karting time, I knew he was good, but I never thought he was better than me. Challenging Michael … it was natural for me to beat him.”

Twice a world champion in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren-Mercedes, he twice beat his great rival to the crown, before the steamroller Ferrari started. Mika Hakkinen accumulated 20 victories, 26 poles, 51 podiums. Schumacher’s greatest rival indeed.