Is Mika Hakkinen better than Michael Schumacher?

Answer 1

Both are great drivers, and ultimately who you decide is "better" is going to be a result of what criteria you use. For me, it's winning - this is what racing is about, and Schumacher did this more often than anyone else. Winning does not count more if you are only a little faster than your competition, or alot faster - in fact, it's more a statement of total domination when you are blowing the field away.

And for comments about "fair and square?" Formula 1, and pretty much all racing, has always been about finding (as Donohue called it) "The unfair advantage." If you, or your team, can conistently find a loophole or anything to exploit that puts you on the podium, then you have just run a better race than the competition. And if that advantage is not only unfair, but also illegal, then it's upto the competition to decide just how best they can gain an unfair advantage by using that fact to their best ability (brings to mind when Ferrari waited so patiently to point out the fact that Michelin tires were deforming back in 2004).

If it's a driver and/or team you like that is succeeding because they are better at doing this, then it's a great thing. And when it's the other way around, we rally against it because it seems... well, "unfair" since it's at the expense of who we are rooting for. But it's part of racing.

But going back to the original point - for me, Schumacher gets the nod not just for winning, and so often in dominating fashion, but for the great drives. Suddenly adding a pit stop with the knowledge that to make it work he has to be a second faster a lap than everyone else... and then being a second a lap faster! Finishing second after having the car stuck in fifth gear for most of the race! Even the his career finale, fighting back after the set backs. Mika was great, just not as great in my book.

PS - and "cheating death" as a criteria for better driver? My neighbor has managed to roll her car twice in normal everyday driving in the last year! Where does this place her on the list of greatest drivers?

Answer 2

Putting prejudices aside and disregarding all the verbose comments, it's extremely difficulty to classify Michael Schumacher as anything but the best driver of his era and, unfortunately Mika Hakkinen drove Formula One cars during that era.
It's an undeniable fact that some of Michael Schumacher's on-track antics weren't kosher (there is no need to go off on a tangent listing them), however, if you look at the big picture, the vast majority of his races were without incident.
Mika Hakkinen showed excellence from the time he battled Mika Salo for the 1990 British Formula Three title and up to his retirement from F1, but he has to rate just a tad behind Michael Schumacher.

Answer 3

You should have asked "Was Ayrton Senna better than Michael Schumacher?" Then the voters would be pretty close.
Or, comparison between Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen would be another interesting question.

Answer 4

Mika Hakkinen has won two world titles and Michael Schumacher has won seven world titles. Therefore logically Michael is much more talented than Mika Hakkinen.

Name:____ Mika _____Michael

Nationality:_Finnish _____German

Grand prix:_165 ________ 250

Wins: _____20 _________ 91

Podiums:___51_________ 154

Titles: _____ 2 ___________ 7

Points:____420 ________1369

Poles:_____ 26 __________ 68

Fastest Laps:25 _________ 76

Answer 5

I think Mika is the most underated champion ever. In Micheal Shumacher's entire career the only driver that he ever admitted scared him was Mika. In terms of pure speed he is one of the two fastest drivers I have ever seen. Michael has better versitility but Mika is faster. On the records though you would have to say Michael.

Answer 6

Definitely. It's not just about statistics, it's about the way they won their championships. Hakkinen won his two championships fair and square, MS won at least 3 of his championships because he had absolutely no competition. 1998-2000 saw them in pretty equal cars, and Hakkinen won two of the titles (even though MS broke his leg in 1999, Mika still had tough competition to face; at a certain point Irvine, Coulthard and Frentzen were all in the running for the title alongside Hakkinen). Mika lost out in 2000-2001 because he lost his hunger for racing.

And, alongside all of that, Hakkinen survived a nearly-fatal accident in late 1995 at Adelaide. Did MS ever do that? He did have a serious crash, but it wasn't life-threatening. Hakkinen was actually found bleeding seriously and with the blood choking him. He was eventually saved, and 2 months later he tested again for McLaren and was as quick as before the crash. That makes him one of the few people that managed to cheat death.

Answer 7

At what? Finnish crossword puzzle?
Just kidding.
I normally try to avoid answering questions like these (Who is the best/who will win) because there can never be 100% objectivity. But let me say this. In Formula 1, it doesn't matter who is better or who can go faster. What matters is who won. In 98 and 99, Mika won. And we all know which years Michael has won. Who won more? We all know that too.

Answer 8

I really think they would be equal in the same car.Hakkinen when in a good mclaren won the championship 98-99 then retired.then micheal went on to several championships.Shumacher was the only real talent in the field.You had raw talent such as montoya,massa,kimi,etc.Then Alonso renault combinaton started blooming in 04 then came to frution in 05 and 06.

So i will say this... through out the 00's for shumacher and compare 94,95 to hakkainens 98,99

I would take hakkinen cause he took it fare and square.but in the end its your opinion

Answer 9

He was scared and ran away,now he is back but you can't compare Michael Schumacher to Mika Hakkinen.Shumi... is the BEST...

Answer 10

Michael is better than Mika but,i think KIMI is the best.