'Sad' Hakkinen Congratulates Schumacher

Finland's Mika Hakkinen congratulated Michael Schumacher on Sunday after his German rival won the Formula One world title and prevented the McLaren driver from taking his third crown in a row.

Asked how he felt now that his reign as champion was over, Hakkinen replied, with humour: "So sad..."

"Anyway, congratulations to Michael. It's been a great season. Very tough," added Hakkinen.

"I understand it's sometimes some other driver's turn to win and to be a good winner sometimes you have to be a good loser too. It doesn't mean you have to be very happy about it, to be second or lose."

Hakkinen said his Ferrari rival, who won the third title iof his career, had "done the best possible job this year.

"We weren't able to do it, so naturally I feel a bit disappointed but at the same time I feel I have won two years in a row in 1998 and 1999 so life continues and racing continues.

"You have to keep fighting and I'm sure we will see exciting races in the future too."

Hakkinen led for most of the race but ceded the lead to Schumacher, Ferrari's first world champion since South African Jody Scheckter in 1979, after his second pit stop.

"At the time when I went in the pits for my second stop looked pretty good. The pit stop went fine, the mechanics and the team did fantastic work.

"I went out on the track and I realised that Michael hadn't stopped. So I automatically realised that he had an advantage to push...I knew it was going to be very, very tough."