Mika Häkkinen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mika Häkkinen
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Häkkinen in 2016
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| Born |
Mika Pauli Häkkinen
28 September 1968 |
| Spouse(s) |
Erja Honkanen
(m. 1998; div. 2008)Markéta Remešová
(m. 2016) |
| Children | 5 |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Finnish |
| Active years | 1991–2001 |
| Teams | Lotus, McLaren |
| Entries | 165 (161 starts) |
| Championships | 2 (1998, 1999) |
| Wins | 20 |
| Podiums | 51 |
| Career points | 420 |
| Pole positions | 26 |
| Fastest laps | 25 |
| First entry | 1991 United States Grand Prix |
| First win | 1997 European Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2001 United States Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2001 Japanese Grand Prix |
Mika Pauli Häkkinen (born 28 September 1968) is a Finnish former racing driver. He competed in Formula One, the highest class of international racing, from 1991 to 2001. People called him "The Flying Finn" because of his speed. Häkkinen won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles with McLaren in 1998 and 1999. He also won 20 Grand Prix races during his 11 seasons.
Mika started his racing journey in karting when he was only five years old. He won many local and national championships. Later, he moved on to faster junior racing series in 1987. He was helped by Keke Rosberg, a Formula One champion from 1982. Mika won his first championship in Nordic Formula Ford. Then, in 1990, he won the British Formula Three Championship. He joined the Marlboro driver program and signed with Lotus in 1991. This was when he made his Formula One debut. After two seasons with Lotus, he moved to McLaren as a test driver in 1993. He later became a full-time driver for McLaren.
Mika quickly found success at McLaren. He achieved his first podium finish at the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix. Even with some car problems, he earned six podiums in 1994. He finished fourth in the championship that year. After a few years without wins, he finally got his first victory at the 1997 European Grand Prix. In 1998, Mika had a tough fight for the championship with Michael Schumacher. He won his first title at the final race of the season, becoming the first Finnish Formula One World Champion in 16 years. He won the title again in 1999, beating Eddie Irvine. Mika won several races in 2000 but couldn't beat Schumacher for a third title. He retired at the end of the 2001 season. He finished his Formula One career with 20 wins, 26 pole positions, 25 fastest laps, and 51 podium finishes.
After Formula One, Häkkinen raced in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) from 2005 to 2007. When he fully retired from racing in 2007, he started managing other drivers. He also became a special ambassador for Mercedes-AMG. Since 2022, Mika Häkkinen has been a sports commentator for Viaplay.
Contents
Early Life and Racing Start
Mika Häkkinen was born in Vantaa, Finland, on 28 September 1968. He has a sister named Nina. As a child, Mika enjoyed playing ice hockey and football.
When Mika was five, his parents rented a go-kart for him. Even after an early crash, Mika loved it and wanted to keep racing. His father bought him his first go-kart. Mika won his first karting race in 1975. He continued to win regional and club championships in the late 1970s. In 1980, he won the Swedish Lapland Cup. Around this time, Mika also drove a Volkswagen Beetle on Finland's frozen lakes with his friend.
In 1981, Mika won his first big karting title, the Finnish Karting Championship. The next year, he was runner-up in another series and won two special events. In 1983, he moved to the Formula Nordic 100cc class and became champion on his first try. He also won a team championship for Finland.
Mika won the 100cc Formula Nordic title again in 1984 and 1985. In 1985, he was second in the Nordic Championship to Tom Kristensen. To help pay for his racing, Mika even worked with a friend repairing bicycles.
In 1987, Mika switched from karting to car racing. He bought a Reynard Formula Ford 1600 car. That year, he won the Finnish, Swedish, and Nordic Formula Ford Championships. He won nine races in total. In 1988, he raced in the EFDA Formula GM Lotus Euroseries. He won four races and finished second in the championship. He also won the Opel-Lotus EDFA Euroseries with four victories.
In 1989, Mika moved to the British Formula 3 Championship. He finished seventh overall. He was also invited to a special Formula Three race where he won from pole position.
In 1990, Mika applied to join the "Marlboro World Championship Team," a program for young drivers. McLaren Formula One team boss Ron Dennis was one of the judges. Mika performed very well in his test and got the sponsorship. That same year, he joined the West Surrey Racing team. He won the British Formula 3 series with nine victories. In November, he raced in the 1990 Macau Grand Prix. He started from pole position and won the first part of the race. However, he crashed in the second part with future rival Michael Schumacher.
Formula One Career Highlights
Starting with Team Lotus (1991–1992)
Mika Häkkinen first tested a Formula One car with the Benetton team. He drove faster laps than their regular driver. In 1991, he signed with the Lotus team. He made his Formula One debut at the 1991 United States Grand Prix. He scored his first Formula One points by finishing fifth in San Marino. He finished his first season in 16th place with two points.
Mika stayed with Lotus for 1992. He continued to score points in some races. During this year, Mika had a disagreement about his racing contract. He wanted to join Williams, but there were problems with his Lotus contract. He then talked to McLaren team boss Ron Dennis. Eventually, it was decided that Mika would join McLaren.
Success with McLaren (1993–2001)
Joining McLaren and First Podiums (1993–1994)
For 1993, Mika Häkkinen joined McLaren as a test driver. He became a race driver later in the season. At the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix, Mika earned his first podium finish, coming in third place. He finished the season 15th with 4 points.
In 1994, Mika stayed with McLaren. He had a tough start with car problems. But he still managed to get his first podium of the season at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. He had a one-race ban after a collision at the British Grand Prix. After returning, he got three more third-place finishes. Mika finished the 1994 season in fourth place with 26 points.
A Difficult Year and Amazing Recovery (1995)
Mika continued with McLaren in 1995. The car had some issues early in the season. He scored points in some races and got a second-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix.
At the last race of the season in Australia, Mika had a very serious crash during practice. His car's tire failed, and he crashed into a barrier at high speed. He was badly injured, with a skull fracture and internal bleeding. Doctors at the track quickly helped him, saving his life. He was taken to the hospital and stayed there for about two months. He made an incredible recovery. To show his thanks, Mika later donated a lot of money to help build a new helipad for the hospital. He finished the 1995 season in seventh place with 17 points.
Building Momentum (1996–1997)
The 1996 season was Mika's first as the more experienced driver at McLaren. He started well, scoring points in the first two races. He got his first podium of the season with a third place at the British Grand Prix. He finished the season with three more third-place finishes. Mika ended 1996 in fifth place with 31 points.
In 1997, Mika continued with McLaren. He started the season with a third-place finish in Australia. He had some bad luck with retirements during the middle of the season. At the British Grand Prix, he was leading but his engine failed. He finally achieved his first Formula One victory at the last race of the season, the 1997 European Grand Prix. Mika finished the 1997 season in sixth place with 27 points.
World Champion Years (1998–1999)
Mika Häkkinen was very confident about challenging for the World Championship in 1998. He started the season by winning the first two races in Australia and Brazil. He continued to win races, including in Spain and Monaco. He had a close battle with Michael Schumacher for the championship. Mika won the final two races of the season, in Luxembourg and Japan. This secured him the 1998 World Championship with 100 points. He became the World Champion and was named the Finnish Sports Personality of the Year.
In 1999, Mika aimed to defend his title. He had some car problems early on but won his first race of the season in Brazil. He then had back-to-back victories in Spain and Canada. He won his fourth race of the year in Hungary. At the final race in Japan, Mika took the victory. This win gave him enough points to win his second World Championship in a row, with 76 points. He was again recognized with racing awards.
Final Seasons and Retirement (2000–2001)
For the 2000 season, Mika prepared himself for another championship challenge. He believed he, Michael Schumacher, and David Coulthard would be the top drivers. He had a tough start with two retirements. But he then got two second-place finishes and his first win of the season in Spain. He won again in Austria, Hungary, and Belgium. In Belgium, he made a famous pass on Michael Schumacher. Mika finished second in the championship with 89 points, behind Schumacher.
In 2001, Mika wanted to challenge for the World Championship again. He felt less pressure and was inspired by the birth of his son. The season started badly with retirements. At the Spanish Grand Prix, he was set to win but his car had a clutch problem on the very last lap. He finally got his first podium of the season in Canada, finishing third. He then won the British Grand Prix.
Before the Italian Grand Prix, Mika announced he would take a break from Formula One in 2002. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He later explained that crashes and losing his desire to win were also reasons. He won his final race in the United States. Mika finished his last Formula One season in fifth place with 37 points.
Life After Formula One (2002–Present)
In July 2002, Mika Häkkinen officially announced his retirement from Formula One. He had decided this with McLaren team boss Ron Dennis. In October, he started working as a commentator for a TV channel.
In December 2002, Mika announced he would try rally racing. He participated in the Finnish Rally Championship. He raced in the Arctic Rally in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, there were rumors that Mika might return to Formula One, but he decided against it. He said his reactions would be slower over time.
Racing in DTM (2005–2007)
First DTM Season (2005)
On 6 November 2004, it was announced that Mika Häkkinen would join the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series for the 2005 season. This is a touring car series. He had tested touring cars before. His first season started well. He finished eighth in his first race and got his first DTM podium in the next race. Two weeks later, he won his first DTM race after only three starts. Mika finished the 2005 season in fifth place with 30 points.
Continuing in DTM (2006–2007)
Mika stayed with his team for the 2006 DTM season. He aimed to win the championship. He started the season with a fourth-place finish and a third-place podium. He had another podium later in the season. Mika finished the 2006 season in sixth place with 25 points. In November, he even tested a McLaren Formula One car again, but decided not to return to F1.
Mika continued in DTM for the 2007 season. He wanted to improve his results from the previous year. He won his first race of the season at EuroSpeedway Lausitz. He also started from pole position at Brands Hatch. Mika had his second victory of the season at Mugello, starting from 15th place. He finished the 2007 season in eighth place with 22 points.
Retirement and Other Activities (2008–Present)
Mika Häkkinen announced his retirement from all competitive motorsport in November 2007. He said it was not an easy decision, but that racing would always be in his blood.
In November 2008, Mika started a new career managing other racing drivers. He also participated in the Arctic Rally again in 2009. In 2011, he made his debut in sports car racing. In October 2013, he raced in the GT Asia series and won his first race there.
On 16 March 2017, McLaren announced that Mika Häkkinen had rejoined the team as a partner ambassador. In 2021, he helped McLaren IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward prepare for a test drive. In August 2019, Mika raced in the Suzuka 10 Hours endurance race.
Mika Häkkinen and Emma Kimiläinen competed together for Team Finland at the Race of Champions in 2022. He is set to compete again in 2023 with Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas.
In December 2021, Mika Häkkinen became a Formula One analyst for the sports broadcaster Viaplay. Since 2022, he has been a regular part of the team of analysts at Grand Prix events, alongside David Coulthard and Jos Verstappen.
Driving Style and Personality
Mika Häkkinen was known for his special driving style. Experts said he was an "oversteering" driver, meaning he was very fast on slippery tracks. He also liked cars that were a bit "tail-happy," which helped him in medium-speed corners. During his karting days, Mika learned to use his left foot for braking. He tried using his right foot in DTM but went back to left-foot braking because it felt more natural. He was also known as a "late season driver" because he often performed better in the second half of the season.
Some people thought Mika was not good at helping to develop the car. However, Adrian Newey, who designed Mika's championship-winning McLarens, learned how to understand Mika's feedback. Newey realized that Mika's descriptions of car behavior were very precise once he understood Mika's unique way of explaining things.
During his Formula One career, Mika was known for being quiet and thoughtful. He would often pause before answering questions from the media. This helped him keep team problems private. Since he retired, Mika is often considered one of the greatest Formula One drivers. Michael Schumacher has said that Mika was the driver he most enjoyed racing against.
Personal Life
Mika Häkkinen has lived in Monaco since 1991. He also has homes in France and Finland. In 2008, his new mansion in France burned down due to an electrical short circuit. Luckily, no one was hurt, but his Formula One trophies were destroyed.
Mika married Erja Honkanen in 1998, and they had a son and a daughter. They divorced in 2008. Mika also has two daughters and a son with his second wife, Markéta Remešová.
Mika Häkkinen has worked as a global ambassador for responsible drinking for Johnnie Walker since 2006. He is also a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and UBS. In 2016, he became an official ambassador for Nokian Tyres.
Images for kids
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Häkkinen driving for Lotus at the 1991 United States Grand Prix, his Formula One debut race.
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Häkkinen at the 1992 British Grand Prix
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Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 1994 British Grand Prix
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The McLaren MP4/12, driven by Häkkinen in 1997
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Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 1998 Spanish Grand Prix, where he claimed his third win in the first five races of the season
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Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix, where he drove to his third victory of the season
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Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 2000 United States Grand Prix, where an engine problem cost him the title lead to eventual champion Michael Schumacher
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Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 2001 Canadian Grand Prix, where he reached his first podium finish of 2001
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Häkkinen driving for HWA at Brands Hatch in 2006
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Häkkinen driving Mercedes Stars and Cars in 2007
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Häkkinen's 1998 helmet
See also
In Spanish: Mika Häkkinen para niños
