Timothy Collings' Race Report - Belgian GP

World champion Mika Hakkinen won the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday and extended his overall lead to six points by overtaking title rival Michael Schumacher three laps from the finish.

It was the McLaren driver's first win at the sprawling Spa-Francorchamps circuit, but his fourth of the season, and could prove decisive as he chases an historic hat-trick of world title triumphs.

The 31-year-old Finn is aiming to become the first man since Argentina's Juan-Manuel Fangio in 1957 to win the title three years in succession.

The Finn, who recovered from a half-spin that gifted Schumacher the lead on lap 13 of the 44-lap race to regain his early lead and win, now has 74 points to the German Ferrari driver's 68 with four races remaining.

"It was very exciting, very dramatic and it was a great feeling for me to win," said Hakkinen.

"I had a real fight with Michael and it was a fantastic move for me to go into the lead and win the way I did."

Double world champion Schumacher admitted afterwards that his Ferrari was not fast enough for him to resist Hakkinen in the final laps of the race.

That was when Hakkinen, on a charge as he attempted to rectify the mistake which had cost him the lead, closed down the German's advantage from 11.5 seconds after 21 laps to just half a second and began attempting to pass him.

On one overtaking attempt at Les Combes on lap 39, Schumacher closed the door by moving across to the right.

Controversy

That move provoked a minor controversy afterwards as Hakkinen suggested they may have touched wheels -- and also hinted that it was not a fair defensive move.

Hakkinen said he thought that Schumacher had moved not once, as permitted in the current interpretation of the regulations, but twice.

"Yes. To be honest, that is what I thought happened. But it is easy to react like this when you are feeling emotional immediately after the race," he said.

"It is better to look at the video and understand it properly. But I did think something strange was going on and that it was not fair. But I am cool about it now. I am not really complaining."

The duel between the two outstanding protagonists in the title battle dominated the race, which started in wet conditions behind a Safety Car with nearly everyone on "wet" tyres until they made early pit-stops to switch to "dry" tyres.

Hakkinen led from pole position until lap 13, when he made his half-spin mistake. Schumacher, reeling off fastest laps, then led until he pitted on lap 22, leaving Hakkinen in front.

But Schumacher regained the lead when Hakkinen made his second stop and stayed there until Hakkinen produced the breathtaking passing move on lap 41.

As the pair powered up the hill towards Les Combes, with Schumacher just half a second ahead and Hakkinen closing fast, they came up on Brazilian Ricardo Zonta's BAR.

Schumacher darted to the left to pass and, at a point where there is hardly room for more than two cars side by side, Hakkinen swept through on the right.

He took a risk and it paid off.

"My earlier half-spin was caused by a slippery and wet patch on the side of the track," said Hakkinen. "But the passing move was something different.

"I was quicker than Michael through La Source and Eau Rouge and up the hill in seventh gear. I had the tow from the backmarker and when Michael went left I went right and...well, that was it."