GPBlog's Top 50 drivers in 50 days - #15 - Mika Hakkinen

Known as the Flying Finn, Mika Hakkinen had a raw speed that was almost unmatchable on his day. He took his time to reach the top in F1 but when he did, he certainly made it worth the wait.

Hakkinen made his debut with the uncompetitive Lotus in 1991, raising eyebrows in the paddock by qualifying 13th for the season opener in Phoenix and then finishing fifth at Imola.

The rest of the season passed without points, but Hakkinen was retained for 1992 season. His second year in F1 yielded better results, with six points finishes and eight in the final standings.

He signed as McLaren test driver for 1993 and got his chance to show his ability at the latter end of the season when Michael Andretti left the team and he scored a podium in his second race for the team in Japan.

He stayed with the team and was competitive in 1994, despite receiving a one-race ban for causing collisions and suffering from reliability issues. Despite this, he scored six podiums and finished fourth in the standings, comfortably outperforming his more experienced teammate Martin Brundle.

Hakkinen scored the occasional podium over the next three seasons, finally getting his maiden race win at the 1997 finale, setting himself up for a superb 1998.

The season began with two victories in Australia and Brazil and consecutive victories in Spain and Monaco gave him a healthy advantage over teammate David Coulthard and Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher.

However, Schumacher won the next three races to put himself in the title frame and after victory at the Italian Grand Prix, the German had levelled it up with Hakkinen with two races to go.

He took a crucial victory at the Luxembourg Grand Prix (at the Nürburgring) but Schumacher was second, taking the fight to the final race in Japan.

Schumacher took pole but stalled on the grid, eventually retiring and allowing Hakkinen to take his eighth win of the season and his first F1 title.

Hakkinen began his title defence with three wins in the first six races and looked set for another battle with Schumacher, but when the Ferrari man broke his leg at the British Grand Prix, it seemed that Hakkinen would have an easy route to the title.

However, Schumacher’s teammate Eddie Irvine took victory in the next two races and scored regular points as Hakkinen struggled with three DNFs.

The title fight was locked at 60 points each with three races to go, and when Irvine won in Malaysia it Hakkinen had it all to do.

He took pole position and led most of the race, taking the victory he needed to take the title. The returning Schumacher finished second with Irvine third, giving Hakkinen his second title in a row.

Schumacher was fully fit for the start of the 2000 season and took an early lead in the championship but Hakkinen pulled it back with a run of three wins and two second places in five mid-season Grands Prix, culminating in an incredible overtake on Schumacher in Spa.

Catching the backmarker of Ricardo Zonta on the Kemmel straight, Schumacher went one side of the BAR-Honda and Hakkinen the other, giving the Finn the inside for Les Combes and eventually the victory.

He led the title race by six points following that Belgian classic, but Schumacher would go on to win the final four races and take his third title.

Hakkinen struggled in 2001 with reliability preventing him from the success of the previous three seasons. He took victories in Britain and the USA but announced he would be taking a year out in 2002, a sabbatical that turned into retirement.

The Flying Finn took a while to get into his stride in F1 but it was definitely worth waiting for. 20 victories and two titles is a very nice haul of trophies and Hakkinen is still one of the most loved and respected men in F1.