Todt in Tribute to Hakkinen

Ferrari team chief Jean Todt issued a warm tribute to ex-world champion Mika Hakkinen on Monday 24 hours after Michael Schumacher won his title and delivered the Italian team's first championship in 21 years.

The Frenchman, who has rebuilt Ferrari's staff structure and competitiveness in his seven years as the team's sporting director, said Schumacher's victory came "after an exciting fight with a worthy opponent.

"Hakkinen is a great driver and a great champion, both as a man and as a professional."

Todt's tribute to the McLaren driver was in stark contrast to the hot rivalry and often acrimony between the two top teams in the past.

Only a year ago, after the Malaysia Grand Prix when Schumacher finished second after gifting his then-team mate Briton Eddie Irvine victory, their triumph was overshadowed by allegations of infringement.

Ferrari appealed their disqualification and then won their victory back at a hearing in Paris amid rancour on all sides.

The inclusion of one of Ferrari's legal advisers for that 1999 case, Italian lawyer Roberto Causo, as a race steward for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix had added to the tension before the Suzuka showdown.

But Todt, and his McLaren counterpart Ron Dennis, turned this year's championship finale into a much happier affair with Todt leading the way and showing great magnanimity in victory.

Expansion

The diminuitive Frenchman, recruited by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo in the summer of 1993, expanded and then built up his team around the signing of Schumacher, from Benetton, in 1996, and technical director Ross Brawn, also from Benetton, in 1997.

When Brawn arrived at Maranello he brought with him aerodynamicist and designer South African Rory Byrne. All three were together at Benetton when they won the drivers' world titles of 1994 and 1995.

But success did not come quickly and in the last four years, the Ferrari team had three times gone close to winning the drivers' title, but failed.

Todt, formerly with Peugeot as rally team chief, said: "I didn't think this job would be so difficult. To be boss of this team is the greatest challenge I could have faced and when you love racing Ferrari is the symbol of competition.

"With Ferrari, I've learned humility. I wouldn't have believed I could take the hard times I've gone through.

"Ferrari just devours you completely. I am like a fireman or a doctor. I put out fires and see people in my surgery all the time."