Mika Häkkinen - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Biography

Beginnings

After having accumulated as of its more young age of multiple titles in Karting, Mika Hakkinen carries out its beginnings in automobile sport in Opel Formula, discipline in which it gains the European title. In 1990, it dominates the British statement championship of Formule 3, which enables him to tie first contacts with Formula 1. This year there, it carries out in particular its first turns of wheel at the wheel of a Benetton. With the end of the year, whereas it passed near to a victory to the prestigious GP of Macao de Formule 3 (winner of the first sleeve, it clings with Michael Schumacher in the second handle while wanting to exceed it), it signs a contract with the stable of Formula 1 Lotus.

Formulate 1 with Lotus

In spite of the danger which consists in passing directly from Formula 3 to Formula 1 (at that time, it was of use to forward by the Formule 3000), Mika Hakkinen carries out as of its first season of solids services, even if the weakness of its material hardly enables him to hope better than to fight at the bottom of the group. In 1992, the arrival of a new car at Lotus offers the occasion to him to be more often highlighted. Although abused of pure speed by its fellow-member and friendly Johnny Herbert, it again carries out beautiful races which enable him to finish in the 8th place of the championship.

Formulate 1 with McLaren

At the conclusion of this second season in F1, and with only 24 years, Hakkinen becomes a pilot very coveted on the market of the transfers. Its name is evoked at Williams - Renault to shoulder Alain Prost, of the insistent rumors send it at Ligier - Renault, but it is finally at McLaren - Ford that the Finn signs. The advertisement surprises because McLaren already engaged for 1993 the American Michael Andretti and also tries to preserve in its rows the star Brazilian Ayrton Senna. It is thus in the capacity as pilot tester that Hakkinen begins the season 1993. Frustrating, its position is not less ideal to perfect its training of F1 safe from any pressure. In order not to make him lose the automatisms of the competition, Ron Dennis offers to its protected two races from Cut Porsche (test being held in curtain raiser of the GP of F1 and opponent of true specialists) that the Finn gains high-the-hand. In September, McLaren separates before the term from the season from disappointing Andretti, which makes it possible Hakkinen to join again with the GP. As of its first appearance with Estoril, within the framework of the GP of Portugal, Hakkinen creates sensation while being qualified in front of its team-member Ayrton Senna. Its race will be more delicate (violent exit ramp), but it is begun again by signing in Suzuka under the rain its very first podium.

Promoted leader of McLaren as from 1994 following the departure of Senna, Hakkinen confirms that it is one of the sure values of the plate. But within a team then with rock bottom, and unstable technically (multiple changes of motor mechanic) it can hope to better only fight for the places of honor. At the end of 1995, its career even seems to have to stop prematurely following a violent exit ramp with the tests of the GP from Australia to Adelaide. Its McLaren unbalanced by a puncture, Hakkinen runs up against at high-speed a concrete low wall. Unconscious evacuee, it will remain several days in the coma before having to observe a long convalescence. The Finn carries out his return to the wheel only little time before the beginning of the season 1996.

In 1996, Hakkinen proves that its accident of did not start anything its qualities of pilot (of his crash landing, it preserves nevertheless a very light facial paralysis), but the weak competitiveness of McLaren-Mercedes still does not enable him to play gains it. The things change in 1997 with the introduction by Mercedes of an engine known as of " news génération" who combines at the same time performance and compactness. But the random reliability of the German block poses problem. Thus, Hakkinen must give up this year with three recoveries whereas it was at the head of the race (in Silverstone, a1-Boxing ring and Nurburgring). The delivery arrives at the last GP of the year at Jerez, where its fellow-member David Coulthard offers the victory for the arrival to him.

In 1998, the McLaren stable, reinforced by the arrival in its rows of the engineer Adrian Newey, confirms its promises of 1997 and Hakkinen gains 8 victories (either a race on two). It must however await the last GP of the season to come to end from Michael Schumacher and to gain its first world title. The season 1999, placed under the sign of revenge, sees to start a new duel between the Finn and the German. The accident of Schumacher at semi-season (fracture of the leg) seems to offer royal roads to Hakkinen, but surprisingly feverish, author of several unusual errors as well as certain bad luck, it must again battle until the ultimate GP of the season in order to take down its second world title, this time at the expense of Eddie Irvine, which counted four points in advance on him with the last sleeve in Japan.

In 2000, a missed beginning of the season, in particular which had with the unreliability of its single-seater, the constrained one with a race-continuation with the championship behind Michael Schumacher. The duel knows its point of organ with the GP of Belgium with the going beyond remained famous of Hakkinen on its German rival with some turns of the arrival, at the price of an operation with high-risk. However, an unhappy abandonment with the Grand Prix of the United States, the time when on the track the first place appeared accessible, and whereas it counted two points in advance on Schumacher with the championship, immediately relegates it to 8 points of this last, with only two Grands Prix still to be disputed. The Grand Prix of Japan, extremely tended between the two protagonists, will see a new superb duel and the victory over the wire of Schumacher, kind Hakkinen to be satisfied with the title of vice-champion. In 2001, author of increasingly irregular performances (it gains two GP all the same), Hakkinen does not hide a certain demotivation and announces his desire quickly to take one sabbatical year, sabbatical year which will be transformed finally into final withdrawal of Formula 1.

DTM

In 2004, whereas last public appearances of the Finn had shown a man with the silhouette very thickened since its departure with the retirement, Hakkinen is posted again with the shape of high level sportsman, letting foresee his desire to join again with the competition. After some races in the Scandinavian Porsche Cut, it considers even a sensational return to Formula 1, nearly 3 years after its departure. In the middle of the summer 2004, contacts are tied with the stables BAR - Honda and Williams - BMW, but without being concretized. It turns finally to the championship DTM, where it east becomes starting from 2005 official pilot Mercedes. Its first season is promising since it takes down a victory with Spa-Francorchamps as of its third race as of many arrivals in the points which are worth to him to finish in the 5th place of the championship. It marks time in 2006 by being classified only 6th championship, without the least victory.

At the end of the season, its name is again evoked for a possible return Formulates 1 of them. One speaks about him for a possible station of holder at Toro Rosso, but also as pilot tester at McLaren, a rumor which a meeting of private tests seems to accredit on November 30th in Barcelona at the wheel of MP4-21. The Finn, who had not controlled any more of F1 since nearly 5 years, realizes on this occasion of the very poor stopwatches, with nearly 3 seconds to the turn to best. The experiment remains without a future, and Hakkinen finally decides to remain in DTM. In 2007, it will finish only 8th championship, with nevertheless a second victory in championship over the circuit of Lausitzring, and another in Mugello.

Prize list

Formulas of promotion

Champion of Scandinavia de Formule Ford in 1987
Champion of Formula Opel Eurosérie in 1988
Champion of England de Formule 3 in 1990

Formulate 1

On the 161 races which it carried out throughout its career Formulates 1 of them, Mika Häkkinen gained 20 victories, left 26 times in pole position (first on the starting line) and took down 51 podiums. Its career enabled him to collect not less 420 points (either an average of 2,6 points by Grand Prix). Lastly, it established 25 records of the turn.

Titles

Victories in GP

Pole Positions

1997: Luxembourg
1998: Australia, Brazil, Spain, Monaco, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Belgium
1999: Australia, Brazil, San Marino, Monaco, Spain, Great Britain, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Italy
2000: Australia, Brazil, San Marino, Austria, Belgium

Records of the turn in race

1997: Italy
1998: Australia, Brazil, Spain, Monaco, Italy, Luxembourg
1999: Brazil, Monaco, Great Britain, Austria, Belgium, Europe
2000: San Marino, Great Britain, Spain, Monaco, Canada, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia
2001: Malaysia, Great Britain, Hungary.

DTM

Victories

2005: Spa-Francorchamps
2007: Lausitzring, Mugello

Pole Position (to be checked)

2005: Spa-Francorchamps

See too

Pilot of Formula 1: classification per year
Pilot of Formula 1: classification by better Pilot turns
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot podiums
of Formula 1: classification by pole Pilot positions
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot victories
of Formula 1: classification by hat tricks

Random links:

Living organism | Mucilage | List episodes of Babylon 5 | Syndrome of Münchausen per procuration | Plaskovac