Sunday April 30th, 2000

Mika Hakkinen expects McLaren to issue team orders this year. The Finn told German newspaper, Bild am Sonntag: "I am certain that the time will come when we, the drivers, and the team will discuss it and apply team orders."

Hakkinen, currently third in the World Championship with 12 points, said his car's potential is yet to be seen, claiming that "the reality is that we still have many problems and we have yet to show our real form." He also said that he does not see his teammate David Coulthard as a rival beside Michael Schumacher but added that, "at the moment I would say they are both equally hard opponents."

Speaking of his state of mind, Hakkinen shrugged off claims that he is hard under pressure, saying that in fact he feels better this year than in the previous two. "Life in the last two years was real hell. Hell. No human can go through the pressure I put myself under. I hope I never experience that again," Hakkinen said. "But now it's easier becayse the pressure of the whole world is not on my shoulders," he added, also saying that he is confident he could win a third title and a fourth.