Häkkinen–Schumacher rivalry

Background

At Macau in 1990, Häkkinen came as British Formula Three champion and Schumacher as German champion. Häkkinen won the first of the two 15-lap heats by 2.7 seconds, but in the second he tried to pass Schumacher, hit the back of his car and retired, and Schumacher won on aggregate. Both reached Formula One in 1991 - Häkkinen with Lotus, Schumacher mid-season with Jordan and then Benetton - and Schumacher won the 1994 and 1995 titles before moving to Ferrari in 1996. Häkkinen's first win came at the 1997 European Grand Prix.

In 1998 Häkkinen won eight races and the title in the McLaren MP4/13, Schumacher's challenge ending with a retirement at the Japanese finale after he had to start from the back. Schumacher broke his leg at the 1999 British Grand Prix and missed six races; Häkkinen again took the title at the Japanese Grand Prix, though Ferrari won the constructors' crown. Schumacher won the 2000 decider in Japan on pit strategy and then the 2001 title, while Häkkinen's last wins came at the 2001 British and United States Grands Prix before he retired in 2002. Schumacher later called Häkkinen the best opponent he ever faced, and Häkkinen gave him a tortoise to mark his fourth title.