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'Hamilton and Verstappen in the same situation as Hakkinen and Schumacher'
- GPblog.com
In 2021 we will once again have a real title fight between two great drivers. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will fight for every meter and every point. It is a situation Mika Hakkinen knows only too well.
Hamilton and Verstappen
In 1998 and 1999 Hakkinen managed to become world champion in Formula 1, but it wasn't easy. He had Michael Schumacher as a rival in those years, and that made every race exciting. The pressure was on every race. The Finn now sees a similar situation developing between Hamilton and Verstappen.
''Lewis, of course, has won the world title many times and also gained a lot of experience over the years in winning, losing and working with big teams. On the other hand, you have Max. He hasn't won a title yet, but is always motivated and has an aggressive racing style. He believes in himself and that's very important,'' the two-time world champion told German RTL.
Decision on the track
''When I drove against Michael, I always had to be extra concentrated than with other drivers. A fight with Michael was not one race or one corner, but went on for a long time. If I made one mistake, he would attack straight away. Lewis and Max are in a similar situation now.''
At Silverstone, Hamilton and Verstappen collided, causing a lot of reaction. Hakkinen doesn't expect it to happen again any time soon. ''If that happens it ends in a war of words. That's not how you should resolve it in my opinion. The action has to happen on the track, and you shouldn't let emotions get the better of you'', concludes Hakkinen.