McLaren MP4-16 launch: Pressure’s off, says Mika

The 32-year-old was thwarted in his attempts to take a title hat-trick by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher last year, but he believes that will make him and his McLaren-Mercedes team even stronger in 2001.

"This year, there's no pressure on me, because I don't have to defend my title," he told Autosport.com at the launch of the new McLaren MP4-16. "I'm quite relaxed at the moment; I'm comfortable with the situation and it's a great position to be in."

Hakkinen led the 2000 standings heading into the final quarter of the season, but lost out to Schumacher when the German won all four of the final Grands Prix.

"It was an incredible season last year," said the Finn. "It was a great contest and it was so tough to lose the title, but I didn't feel that I'd let anybody down and this season I feel quite different to how I felt coming into the previous two seasons.

"What happened last year gives me more motivation to fight harder and I know that our team is stronger than ever."

Hakkinen's wife Erja gave birth to the couple's first child, a son named Hugo, just before Christmas, but despite speculation that the event may have tempered his ambition and drive, the Finn says recent domestic events will make him an even better driver.

"Inside I feel stronger and more comfortable," he said. "I don't feel that anything that has happened to me has given me negative feelings. As I said, I feel I'm stronger than ever."

Hakkinen tested the team's interim-spec MP4-15 just once during the winter, but will now spearhead an intensive testing campaign with MP4-16 along with team mate David Coulthard and tester Alex Wurz.