Place Hakkinen among the greats

McLaren's Mika Hakkinen says he is to take a break from Formula One at the end of the season.

Where does the two-time world champion rate among the greats?

When Finland's Mika Hakkinen hangs up his helmet for a year after Japan, the world of Formula One will assess his achievements to date.

How does he rate compared to the modern greats, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost?

Then there are the great drivers of the 70s: the courageous Niki Lauda and Brazil's Emerson Fittipaldi.

And the legends of the British era, Jim Clarke, Jackie Stewart, Jack Brabham and Graham Hill.

And of course the great Juan Manuel Fangio, the "maestro", who set the standard for all who followed.

Where does Hakkinen, world champion in 1998 and 1999, stand among the greats of Formula One?

Send us your views.

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Raikkonen has an awful lot to live up to

Gordy Sheer, USA

Mika Hakkinen - perhaps one of the most surprising world champions but without doubt a great one. Think back five years ago, would anyone have given him the chance of a world championship, let alone two of them? I doubt it.

Mika is a great driver and a great champion, there is no doubt about it. Sure he had the car to do it in 1998, but most people forget that it was Ferrari who were constructors champions in 1999. Yet still it was Mika who won the driver's championship.

He was and still is a great driver and a great racer and will be most sorely missed next season. Raikkonen has an awful lot to live up to.
Fiona Deighton, England

Mika, like Prost and Lauda, will come back rested and re-energized, provided he can get a competitive ride. While I think he is one of the best of his generation, this type of conditional performance is what keeps him from being ranked as an all time great. Having said all that, now I can say he is my favourite on the grid.
Gordy Sheer, USA

No way is Mika up there with the best. Senna may have had a good car, but he also won in poor cars and with great drivers like Prost battling it out with him.

Mika took forever to win a race, over 100 races I think, and he was around in the Senna era. Mika was a good driver, but he will never be considered a legend or even great. Until this sportstalk question, I never even considered people would see him as one of the best.
Jimmy Simms, Australia

He's always shown grace under pressure and never appears to let things get to him

Sean King, USA

Not only has Mika been a great driver (and hopefully will be again) but he's always shown grace under pressure and never appears to let things get to him. Whenever something goes wrong (this year's Spain heartbreaker for instance) he always just gives a goofy wave to the crowd, a pleasant nod, and never lashes out at his fellow competitors.
Sean King, USA

I can't believe all these people criticizing Hakkinen's ability. Its because of him we have enjoyed such close finishes on the last three F1 seasons.

Just wait and watch how easy it'll be for Michael to win another title next season without him being on the grid. Hakkinen is a true champion and his speed and talent can never be doubted.

Even Michael Schumacher has insisted time after time that his main rival has always been Mika Hakkinen. His sheer speed can never be doubted and I shall greatly miss his presence on the grid.

I reckon we're in for an extremely boring F1 season next year. Michael will win again, Williams will be inconsistent and McLaren will keep getting slower.
Freddy Haroon, USA.

Hakkinen is absolutely one of the greats in the history of F1. Nevertheless, he seems to lack the same kind of magic and glamour, in the eyes of the motorsports world, as the drivers mentioned above. He is just a nice, shy and quiet guy from the Nordic. But a very fast one...
J.R., Finland

At best he was a reasonable driver, at worst an equivalent to the woefully incapable Damon Hill

Murray de Schot, The Netherlands

Hakkinen's dominance in the sport a couple of years ago was due entirely to the McLaren team's dominance (due partly to Adrian Newey's skills) and Ron Dennis's favouritism over Coulthard for testing and development. At best he was a reasonable driver, at worst an equivalent to the woefully incapable Damon Hill. No way can you compare him to the greats of the modern sport: Senna, Schumacher, Lauda, Prost, et al.
Murray de Schot, The Netherlands

I have great admiration for Mika, and frustrated that I won't be able to watch him next season. I have watched all the Grand Prix over the last few years and have always cheered Mika on. There is no doubt that Schumacher is one of the greatest drivers, but somehow he doesn't quite do it for me.
Maureen Flint, Scotland

James Hunt predicted that Hakkinen would win the title because he saw that raw talent. To win the title even once is a great achievement, but to win races and titles with inferior machinery like Hunt (Hesketh), Mansell (Williams & Ferrari), Senna (McLaren) and Schumacher (Benetton & Ferrari) is the mark of a true champion.
John Evans, Brazil

This conversation is too early. Mika will be back!
Ville, Finland

In an age dominated by the doubtless talented Schumacher, Mika has produced the most instinctive challenge of any of the driving fraternity

Jamie Mc, UK

I think Mika is one of the greats. But for the ineptitude of the McLaren team (and in particular Mercedes' inability to build a reliable engine) Mika would have won the championship in 2000 and beaten Schumacher to a triple world crown. But what really sets Mika apart is his humility - there's not a trace of smugness, arrogance or ego in the man. If only there were more like him.
Gavin Owen, UK

My respect for Mika increased by leaps and bounds after the way in which he conducted himself at the 2000 Japanese Grand Prix. His magnanimity in acknowledging Michael's efforts and the dignity with which he accepted defeat are hallmarks of a true champion. Nevertheless, I feel he should never be compared with the likes of Senna, Prost and Schumacher.

Too many times we have seen Mika give less than what he's got 'cos the car was performing to his liking. I can't remember a half-hearted effort from Senna, Prost or Schumacher and hence they are a cut above the rest.
Sathya Kothandram, USA

One of the finest drivers of the modern F1 era. In an age dominated by the doubtless talented, but somewhat 'automatic' skills of Schumacher, Mika has produced the most instinctive challenge of any of the driving fraternity. Who can forget that move in Spa from 2000, and when he took Schumacher at Silverstone this year? I for one was on my feet. It seems unfortunate that his talent and achievements have been overshadowed by the fanatic support for Ferrari and the 'branding' of Schumacher.
Jamie Mc, UK

Mika is a great asset to F1, and although he is usually considered a good driver in a great car he has consistently outpaced Coulthard during their time at McLaren. Maybe the likes of Schumacher, Senna and Prost are more complete packages, but for pure speed on a single lap then Hakkinen is one of the greatest.
Andy C, UK

Coming back from a near fatal accident to two world titles, almost three, show his determination

Andrew Cliffe, UK

Mika is obviously a very good driver, but in my view was always overrated, and never in the same league as the greats like Schumacher, or even drivers such as Villeneuve. His two world championships are purely a reflection on McLaren's dominance at the time, and Schumacher¿s prematurely ending his season after crashing out in Silverstone. Nevertheless, the record books show him as a two-time world champion and this is something few drivers will achieve.
Chris Handley, Manchester, England

Whilst Hakkinen is not as complete a driver as Prost, Senna or Schumacher, he is still one of the all-time best, and I would say over one lap in an equal car is one of the fastest drivers ever. His outlook must have changed since 2000 but coming back from a near fatal accident to two world titles, almost three, show his determination.
Andrew Cliffe, UK

Mika is in the same category as Damon (Hill): Having the best car and, for most of the time, with only his team mate to beat. Put him in the same machinery as Schuey and there would be just one outcome.
Karl Peters, England

Mika will be considered one of the greatest and kindest people in Formula One but never a great world champion.
Peter, UK

To be considered as a great you need to do more then just win world championships, just look at Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. You need to show that when the chips are down you can still performance wonders in the car.
Tony, UK

Hakkinen is a modern great, but one of the best no!

Daniel J, England

David Coulthard and several other drivers would argue the opinion that Mika is second only to Michael Schumacher. I think the majority of drivers in Formula One today could have won the championship with McLaren a few years ago, and maybe even more comfortably than Mika did.
Scott, UK

Hakkinen is a modern great, but one of the best no! He's up there with Mansel and Hill but not up there with Prost, Senna and Schumacher. Too many times Hakkinen's commitment has been doubted. There is no doubt Hakkinen has the skill as a racing driver but he lacks the mindset of great champions. I feel that in years to come Hakkinen will barely be mentioned.
Daniel J, England

No offence, but these arguments are a waste of time. You can't compare drivers from different generations. All you can say is that, of the current generation, Mika is second only to Michael Schumacher. And he's a really nice guy as well.
Tony Brooks, UK

I don't consider Mika as one of the greatest drivers, because Mika is been in Formula One for a long time and he even couldn't achieve what Michael Schumacher has. Mika took his 1998 world champion by his own, but in 1999 it was gifted to him when Michael broke his leg.
Okin, NZ