Former
World Champion Mika Hakkinen has praised his old rival
Michael Schumacher, saying the Ferrari World Champion
is 'the greatest' driver in Formula One.
|
Hakkinen
and Schumacher battled over four seasons, with Hakkinen
winning the World Championship in 1998 and 1999, and
Schumacher winning every title since.
|
But
this season, Schumacher looks set to lose the title
to Renault's Fernando Alonso or McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen,
yet his former adversary believes neither drivers
could ever repeat Schumacher's achievements in the
sport.
|
Asked
who will inherit Schumacher's place as the dominant
driver of the sport, Hakkinen replied: "I don't
think anyone will be able to; Michael has made his
mark in F1 for so long. When I retired, he started
winning non-stop. |
"I
doubt anyone will be able to repeat what he has done.
Neither Alonso nor Raikkonen come close: Michael is
the greatest." |
Hakkinen
said, however, that he wouldn't want to see Schumacher
retire from Formula One to join the DTM championship
- where the Finn is currently racing for Mercedes,
in his first full season of competitive racing since
leaving Formula One four seasons ago. |
"I
don't think he'd enjoy it," Hakkinen told Gazzetta
dello Sport. "He shouldn't even think about joining
DTM because if he was here, then we would all start
fighting hard against each other. I hope it won't
happen." |
Hakkinen
also offered his support to compatriot Raikkonen,
stating the young McLaren driver will continue to
put up a fight for the World Championship - and that
he will win it eventually. |
"Even
if he will carry on being hit by bad luck, he won't
surrender before the end of the season," Hakkinen
said. |
"Kimi
will sooner or later become World Champion." |
