"I see certain signs that leave me to doubt whether he will continue racing for a long time. He has been racing for a long time; he has children; he has had his success; he has had his accident. It doesn't matter how much you love the sport; Michael, too, will ask himself sooner or later, 'How long is this to go on for?' I find it difficult to judge whether he has the same reasons for a certain fatigue as I have. Did he have to struggle to get his own way like I did and did the full support of his team make his life a lot easier?" And just like that, Mika Häkkinen's back-handed projection of his own post championship-winning demons on to champion-elect Michael Schumacher in September 2001 during an interview with Auto Motor und Sport - was nothing but a coded justification of retiring from Formula One at the end of that year.
FORKED PATH
It is almost impossible to imagine a championship-winning F1 career lasting a mere decade. Of the nine drivers to have won successive crowns in F1's 73-year history, only Fangio's eight-year blitzkrieg pips Häkkinen's to the post for brevity.
Motorsport's ladder of formulae sees to it that rivalries are already forged in junior categories. As far back as 1990, Häkkinen met his ultimate future nemesis, Michael Schumacher, in Formula 3. The German was about to wrap up his domestic F3 championship at the season-concluding Hockenheim round, when Häkkinen's West Surrey Racing team entered as a one off wildcard. The interloper nabbed pole position, fastest lap and the victory from an um-pressed Schumacher on that day.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der CAR July 2023-Ausgabe von CAR South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der CAR July 2023-Ausgabe von CAR South Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
CROSSOVER COUTURE
Opel has revived the Frontera nameplate once attached to its rugged Isuzu Frontier-based SUV from the 1990s and attached it to a stylish looking crossover set to arrive here next year.
BMW E36 M3 (1992-1999) SA's first taste of M
When conversing about modern-classic sportscars, few match the pedigree and heritage of the BMW M3.
SATISFACTION TO SORROW
Like the undulations from one side of the Kyalami's Mineshaft to the other, motorsport can deliver spectacular highs and petrifying lows.
FINAL FLING
Targeting his record eighth title, Lewis Hamilton will ditch his long-time Mercedes team for a Ferrari seat from 2025 onwards.
Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD
The.battle for double-cab supremacy continues, with Ford’s luxurious new Ranger Platinum appealing to the lifestyle-oriented buyer
Mercedes-Benz GLE 450d Coupé 4Matic
A fresh face with the sleeker coupé roofline lifts the GLE's appeal, especially in 450d guise
Volvo EX30 Ultra Twin Motor Performance
Volvo's all-electric ambitions have been bolstered by the arrival of a new entry level model. Is the EX30 the model to change local opinion of EV motoring?
Niche knacks
They are about as deep in the crossover niche as it's possible to mine, but the Ford Puma and Volkswagen's Taigo are more closely matched than you'd think...
TOURING de FORCE
First unveiled at the 1967 Paris Motor Show as a replacement for the stunning Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, the 365 GT is about as accomplished a long distance tourer as you could wish for
Levelling up
Audi South Africa's expanded portfolio of special-edition models aims to combine the most popular specification requests into individual packages