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Mika Häkkinen
Winning consecutive Formula One titles with McLaren.
1998 and 1999 champion · The Flying Finn
- Born
- 28 September 1968
- Birthplace
- Vantaa, Finland
More people
Mika Häkkinen
Mika Häkkinen is a Finnish former racing driver who won the Formula One world championship in 1998 and 1999. His career combined exceptional qualifying speed with a return from a life-threatening accident.
Early life
Karting childhood
Began kart racing in Finland at a young age.
Junior categories
Progressed through Formula Ford, Formula Opel and British Formula Three.
Career
- 1990
British Formula Three
Won the championship before moving to Formula One.
- 1991–1993
Lotus to McLaren
Debuted with Lotus and then joined McLaren.
- 1995–1999
Recovery and championships
Returned after a severe Adelaide crash and developed into a title-winning driver.
- 2001–2007
Later racing
Left Formula One after 2001 and later competed in DTM touring cars.
Selected work
First Grand Prix win
Won the European Grand Prix at Jerez.
World championships
Secured consecutive drivers’ titles with McLaren-Mercedes.
Belgian Grand Prix
Passed Michael Schumacher around a slower car in a celebrated overtaking move.
Beyond work
Recovery
Survived a severe head injury in a 1995 practice accident and returned for the following season.
Post-racing work
Undertook ambassadorial and driver-management roles after full-time competition.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: Sven Mandel. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
