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Where Does Mika Hakkinen Stand Among Formula 1’s Greatest Drivers?
Published: November 1, 2013
Today marks 15 years since the Flying Finn earned his first Formula One world title, and alongside David Coulthard he forms the last partnership to deliver the Woking squad the Constructors’ title, in 1999.
Hakkinen is rightly spoken of as a popular champion. He was incredibly quick and often delivered single-lap efforts which beggared belief, a fact exemplified by him featuring in the top 10 all-time lists for pole positions and fastest laps.
A member of an exclusive club as twice F1 world champion, Hakkinen rightly earns his place alongside some of the greatest drivers the sport has produced.
Is he unfairly overlooked when remembering the best drivers? Some point to the time it took him to record a first victory and the mistakes make in his final years with McLaren as proof he was a very good, if not great, F1 driver.
However, that is a harsh way to remember him.
Paying his dues
Hakkinen had to earn his big chance, and when it came, he had to wait a bit longer.
Combine that with a life-threatening injury and you gain a better perspective of just how talented the Finn was.
He arrived in F1 in 1991 as the reigning British F3 champion, where had garnered the reputation for being incredibly fast over one lap.
He duly transferred this into two seasons with an uncompetitive Lotus team, with which he scored two and 11 points in each season, finishing 1992 eighth overall in the championship with a best finish of fourth (twice).
Revelling in the underdog role, his impressive efforts at Lotus earned him a test driver role with McLaren. By the end of 1993, and with Michael Andretti underperforming, Hakkinen stepped into the final three races of the season.
With the pressure significantly greater, he ran close to No. 1 driver Ayrton Senna at ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1
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