If Hakkinen didn't exist............

Yoong Montoya · 3 Nov 2002, 20:25 (Ref:420904)

If Hakkinen didn't exist, would Raikkonen have got the drive with McLaren on his own merit? Sorry if this sounds like an absurd thread, but I would like to know what people think about this.

Kex · 3 Nov 2002, 20:27 (Ref:420909)

Yes. Raikkonen is every bit as good as Hakkinen has ever been. Peter Sauber only 'discovered' him because he wanted Button, and Button's ex-manager informed him (apparently).

**Adam43** · 3 Nov 2002, 21:02 (Ref:420928)

Quote:

Originally posted by Kex
Raikkonen is every bit as good as Hakkinen has ever been.

Not yet he isn't...

Damon · 3 Nov 2002, 21:03 (Ref:420930)

Yeah, but he will be.

ASCII Man · 3 Nov 2002, 21:14 (Ref:420943)

he sure has the potential to be as good as Hakkinen, but then again, Alesi was considered a champion of the future too in his early days...

Damon · 3 Nov 2002, 21:19 (Ref:420953)

Kimi's been luckier than Alesi in that he's got a top drive very early in his career.

Suzy · 3 Nov 2002, 22:52 (Ref:421007)

Going slightly off-topic: if Mika didn't exist, I wouldn't have had very much to enjoy in F1

Kimi would probably have got the McLaren drive - not only because it kept him out of Ferrari's clutches. Ron Dennis is perfectly capable of analysing every driver on the grid and going for the best prospect. For him, regardless of whether or not Mika had any influence, Kimi would have been the best choice.

f1manoz · 3 Nov 2002, 23:44 (Ref:421044)

I agree with Suzy's first statement. Mika was THE MAN for me, and no doubt I'd have been lost if he hadn't been there.

I still say Kimi got the drive only because:

a. Mika's influence
b. Ferrari wanted him too!

However, he obviously has lots of natural talent, so Kimi was a good choice for the future of McLaren.

Gt_R · 4 Nov 2002, 00:37 (Ref:421084)

Quote:"Ron Dennis is perfectly capable of analysing every driver on the grid and going for the best prospect."

Then can anyone explain why is DC in THAT Mclaren for 8 years?

But i must admit Kimi is a wonderful decision by Ron thus far. He has the desire to win, the will to fight, and is cold and determined to achieve it. ANd i think he deserves that Mclaren seat. Everything went right for him then (Mika ending career, Ferrari seat up for grabs, etc)

Russfeld · 4 Nov 2002, 00:51 (Ref:421092)

Ferrari werent after Kimi

rick vaux · 4 Nov 2002, 00:56 (Ref:421094)

Would Kimi have done as well as Eddie did ?

Gt_R · 4 Nov 2002, 02:40 (Ref:421122)

Nope...but Ron din't know for sure and won't want to take the risk would he?

Armco Bender · 4 Nov 2002, 03:59 (Ref:421142)

Hakkinen took a few years too get going too,he certainally didn't set the world on fire from day one.Was he a great driver or just the right driver in the right car at the right time?

twig · 4 Nov 2002, 05:30 (Ref:421165)

Quite true Armco B. Seeing as though he had only just won his first race at the final in 1997, and went on to win the next year dominantly. But come on! he won two world championships and was my favourite driver at the time.

And plus, i dont really think Ferrari wanted Kimi. Basically because he is not a Rubens, he wouldnt ever play number two.

alfasud · 4 Nov 2002, 07:10 (Ref:421196)

If Hakkinen didn't exist........... well F1 in the late 90's would have been rather boring and MS might have had another title.... and maybe even Eddie Irvine!!!! But probably not David Coultard!

I wouldn't rule out the idea of Ferrari having wanted Kimi - even if he wouldn't play number two to Michael, they could still keep him on loan to Sauber until Michael retires and if they think he's ready, put him the #1 seat, if not let him go. But at least that way, he's not driving for McLaren.

Mal · 4 Nov 2002, 10:36 (Ref:421283)

MS would have 2 other titles and Irvine 1. F1 would have been boring for 6 years!

Thank you Mika!!

Suzy · 4 Nov 2002, 10:47 (Ref:421288)

As I am a staunch Mika fan, I'd like to say that I fell he set the world of F1 alight a long time before he won his first race. Jabby Crombac looked at Mika on his F1 debut in 1991 and said "that boy will be World Champion". Mika had a reputation for being able to throw cars around and put cars in places where, quite frankly, it shouldn't be! I will be the first to admit that gravel traps were one of those places (on an all-too regular basis in 1994) but he worked wonders with the 1995 McLaren. I am proud of him!

He caught my eye too back in 1992. He's a lovely guy, very sweet, totally unaffected by fame and a great driver too. That's my opinion. The Mika-Michael era was great to watch - close battles, lots of friendship and the two best drivers in the world dominating!

BootsOntheSide · 4 Nov 2002, 15:42 (Ref:421469)

It wasn't until 1998 that Mika had the right car, he was already accepted as the only driver close to Schumacher and Villeneueve on ability at the time. His showings for Lotus in 1992 and McLaren in Portugal 1993 and Spain 1994 (amongst others) were proof.

Incidentally, is there any truth in the idea that he was Frank Williams' first chocie for 1993 as Prost's #2? I heard that Frank was late in filing the team's entry for 1993, and ahd to hurriedly get approval from all the teams, but at that point Lotus boss peter Collins ahdn't agreed that Mika would be leaving, so refused to allow Mika to sign for Williams at that point, leading them to choose Hill?

Suzy · 4 Nov 2002, 16:34 (Ref:421523)

Boots (hope you don't mind me abbreviating your name): your second paragraph is correct. It's a long and complicated story but in a nutshell, Keke Rosberg had more-or-less done the deal with Williams, then changed his mind. Keke called Ron Dennis, Peter Collins tried to stop Mika leaving Lotus after Ron Dennis made his move and it all ended up in arbitration with McLaren winning and Peter Collins losing Mika.

Mr V · 4 Nov 2002, 17:17 (Ref:421568)

Quote:

Originally posted by Damon
Kimi's been luckier than Alesi in that he's got a top drive very early in his career.

Don't know if it's considered luck. Alesi was offered a drive by Williams for 1991 and would have done alot better with his career had he taken it, however he followed his heart and went to Ferrari. With that one decision, he became proberbly one of the biggest disappointments in the history of F1.

ljakse · 4 Nov 2002, 20:26 (Ref:421690)

If Mika didn't exist?
Hmmm

No, that's beyond my imagination.

rpolinski · 4 Nov 2002, 23:15 (Ref:421803)

I wasn't looking forward to this year because of the lack of Mika but as soon as I saw Kimi at Melbourne you could see he was going to be better than Mika. He seems to have Mika's post-accident maturity and pre-accident aggression.

Yoong Montoya · 4 Nov 2002, 23:21 (Ref:421808)

Quote:

Originally posted by rpolinski
I wasn't looking forward to this year because of the lack of Mika but as soon as I saw Kimi at Melbourne you could see he was going to be better than Mika. He seems to have Mika's post-accident maturity and pre-accident aggression.

Hopefully yes, but remember when Mika broke his neck in that awful accident in Adelaide 1995? I really really hope the same thing doesn't happen to Raikkonen. It's unlikely, but it's possible too.

Sodemo · 5 Nov 2002, 00:06 (Ref:421830)

I actually really hated the 98 99 2000 seasons as I dislike both Mclaren Ferrari M Schu and Hakkinen, so there wasn't much for me to cheer for.

Wrex · 5 Nov 2002, 00:26 (Ref:421837)

Quote:

Originally posted by Suzy
The Mika-Michael era was great to watch - close battles, lots of friendship and the two best drivers in the world dominating!

I think alot of people missed that, especially the anti-Schu's. Michael had more respect for Mika than any other driver he raced against. I also believed they genuinly liked each other.

It's been a long time since two excellent drivers could race wheel-to-wheel, without constant collision, and still get out of the car and like each other.

I don't say this is a crtisim of drivers either, more the press. They do have a tendancy to misquote and manipulate drivers comments for personal gain. They had Montoya, Michael and Ralf going at it before a wheel was turned.

And now they are doing the same to Kimi.........

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