Thursday March 9th, 2000

by Julian Linden

With two world driver's championships already under his belt, Finland's Mika Hakkinen has nothing left to prove in the cut-throat world of Formula One racing.

A late bloomer, Hakkinen claimed his first title in 1998 at the ripe old age of 30 after seven years of mediocrity in the sport's premier class.

To prove it was no fluke, he won again in 1999, securing the title in dramatic fashion by winning the final race of the season.

With his place in history already assured, the softly-spoken Finn could be excused for approaching the new season without the drive and motivation of previous years, but insists nothing could be further from the truth.

"People always think that if you win something you might put your hand up and say that's it," Hakkinen told a news conference on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.

"But personally I don't feel less hungry to win. In fact, I feel I want it more than ever. I want to be stronger and to win in different ways."

Hakkinen's motivation is not just the defence of his championship but the knowledge that a third driver's title will elevate him to the pantheon of motor racing.

By winning in 1999, he became just one of seven drivers to have won back-to-back titles but only one of those, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, has managed to make it three in a row.

It is a feat that has proved beyond the likes of Alberto Ascari, Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, Hakkinen's principal rival this year.

Sporting a new crew-cut, Hakkinen said the dramas of the past two seasons had not only made him a better driver but also more relaxed. Far from being satisfied with what he has already achieved, success has only fuelled his ambition.

"I'm very confident about the new season," Hakkinen said.

"I know what I can do and my message is that I'm not nervous at all. I feel far more relaxed than I did in 1998 and 1999."

Hakkinen's confidence has been backed by his team boss Ron Dennis who claims the new McLaren is even faster than last year's winning model.

"We are a little better prepared than we were at this time last year," Dennis said.