Congratulated by Michael Schumacher over his 1998 title win, as beer and karaoke celebrations soon began, Mika Hakkinen knew that Schumacher would be back for more in 1999.<\/p>\n
As such, Hakkinen said that it \u201creally pissed me off\u201d that Ferrari could test as much as they wanted at the time, at their Fiorano track, while McLaren were limited to Silverstone visits and timeframes. Yet, Hakkinen was able to follow-up with a second and final title win in 1999, before the Michael Schumacher and Ferrari era took hold.<\/p>\n
Michael Schumacher and Ferrari testing luxuries irked Hakkinen<\/p>\n
Hakkinen reached the F1 summit as World Champion with McLaren for the first time in 1998, with Schumacher his closest challenger and runner-up.<\/p>\n
While appearing on the High Performance podcast, Hakkinen was asked whether the rumour was true that Schumacher came to his motorhome, after the title had been secured in Japan, to offer his congratulations.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. Absolutely,\u201d he confirmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great fight in \u201998. Michael knew that the car at the start of the year wasn\u2019t there, but he saw that way taking it closer and closer, so he knew there\u2019s going to be next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo absolutely, after the Grand Prix in Suzuka.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere used to be a huge complex, the hotel in Suzuka. Then inside of this complex, there were little what they call log houses. And inside those log houses were karaoke rooms.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo of course, all the drivers and mechanics go in to to sing karaoke and have beers and have fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I knew Michael already from childhood, since we were 13 years old, from the karting. When he has a chance to win, he won\u2019t give up. When he realises that victory is gone, and he\u2019s been won fair and square, he\u2019s very straightforward, and he\u2019s happy and congratulates you and happy about it. But, in a way that the game is not over yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
With karaoke, beer, and trying to wrap your head around becoming World Champion all at play, Hakkinen could not remember what Schumacher had been saying to him.<\/p>\n
But, having said that Schumacher would offer his congratulations in a way of making clear that the fight was not over, Hakkinen said he \u201cknew that\u201d he would be up against Schumacher again the following year.<\/p>\n
It was of great frustration to Hakkinen therefore that Ferrari could test at will, while McLaren could not.<\/p>\n
More F1 nostalgia from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n
Michael Schumacher\u2019s private bar as former \u2018Top Gear\u2019 producer shares wild story<\/a><\/p>\n How a Mika Hakkinen joke backfired and left Ayrton Senna fuming<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s such a fighter. I knew that when we came out of that last grand prix and the log cabin, I knew that he\u2019s not going home and start relaxing for a couple of months, and then goes to the first grand prix,\u201d Hakkinen continued on Schumacher.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. He goes back in a factory. He goes to Fiorano, because Ferrari had a test track, and they can drive there whatever they want, and I knew that was a huge advantage for them, because we didn\u2019t have a test track where we can drive whenever we want.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, they were testing all the time, developing everything. And it really pissed me off.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were able to go to Silverstone, start at 10 o\u2019clock, and 12 o\u2019clock, suddenly, lunch time. One o\u2019clock, we continue, and five o\u2019clock, it\u2019s closed. And it\u2019s raining! They\u2019re testing in sunny Fiorano, from morning, eight o\u2019clock, they can start. They can stop at eight o\u2019clock in the evening, continued testing.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if Michael gets tired, or teammate gets tired, they put a test driver in a car, continue the program, the gearboxes, the softwares, everything. So they were constantly able to do that.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think, is it fair or not. It was just what it was.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I knew that Michael lost, and they knew they weren\u2019t good enough, but they knew that way, what they were doing in their program, they will get there.\u201d<\/p>\n Schumacher and Ferrari ultimately reached the F1 summit in 2000, ending Hakkinen\u2019s reign. That marked the start of five consecutive World Championship wins for Schumacher, who retired as a seven-time World Champion and a F1\/Ferrari icon.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n