Hakkinen expects pressure to take toll

The title fight has been very close throughout the first half of the season, but the former Formula One world champion is expecting the pressure to take its toll on some drivers.

"At the moment there is not too high pressure," said Hakkinen. "But if the championship goes two more races like this, I think then you will start separating drivers.

"The real potential of the drivers you can read from the consistency. You can see how he manages to motivate the team, analyses the problems of the car, and obviously how he can handle the pressure."

Hakkinen would not be drawn on which drivers he is expecting to be able to handle the pressure this season.

"I don't want to talk about other drivers until the end of the season," he said. "But when there are only three races to go, you will start to see who can really make their performances consistent without mistakes."

Hakkinen is currently eighth in the standings, but he is 15.5 points adrift of championship leader Bernd Schneider.