My Favourite F1 Magazine Covers Part 2:

#Mika

MIKA HÄKKINEN, 1994

#mika

HUH!?

#Mika #Keke #Nico

“Eleven months later, Hakkinen was once more heading down a cul-de-sac when the contract he had signed to drive for Williams proved to be worthless. Again, [Keke] Rosberg instigated the rescue by securing a meeting two days before Christmas with McLaren’s Ron Dennis, who was skiing in the French Alps. Rosberg dashed across the mountains to meet his old boss against the worrying background of a mystery illness to his young son, Nico. But that late-night rendezvous at the small airport at Courchevel was critical to Hakkinen’s destiny. […] ‘I’d first gone to him [Ron Dennis] with Mika before Christmas 1992. We had a signed contract with Williams, but Lotus objected that Mika was still under contract to them. In the end, Frank pulled out and, eventually, paid us damages. ‘After Ligier messed us around, I called Ron. We arranged to meet, even though my son, Nico, was ill with a blood disease.’ […] He returned to his family to spend that troubled Christmas at Nico’s side and this afternoon he will be with his son, now 13, as he races in the Italian kart championship.”

— from “Schumacher can’t bully my man Mika”, 30th August 1998 (x)

#mika

Sporting rivalries: Michael Schumacher vs Mika Häkkinen

Ok but imagine racing each other from formula 3, rising through the ranks together to finally compete against their heroes, only to be the only two who witnessed Ayrton Senna's car spinning out to his death from their rearview mirrors as Imola 1994 forever became an intertwining bond between those that death seems to cheat.

Imagine going to compete for world championships together, breaking world records together, but still remaining the only competitor each other ever feared. Imagine having accepted their fate to always die on the track, mourning friends and peers who left them, leaving f1 irredeemably thankful for the lives they got to walk away with.

Imagine years later finding out about the accident, the comma, realising that maybe you two weren't the lucky ones anyway, and that perhaps it is the greater pain after all, to be the one left behind when the other is gone.

Michael Schumacher hanging out with Mika Häkkinen in their pre-F1 days

Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen standing on the podium of the 1994 Imola race that killed their childhood hero, Ayrton Senna

Mika Häkkinen comforting a crying Michael Schumacher, who was told that with his win that day he has equalled Ayrton Senna's all-time records

Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen celebrating their world championship wins together

After Michael Schumacher's decade-long comma inducing skiing accident, Mika Häkkinen wrote him a letter, asking him to keep fighting, and that he will wait for him for as long as he needs.

Their eternal Ferrari and McLaren racing through Spa, 2000.

Mika Häkkinen, 1997

#Mika

Mika trying to see and discuss the weigh-in results until people get mad 😭😭

race winner sebastian vettel is interviewed during the post-race press conference, japan - october 10, 2010 (transcript under the cut)

Interviewer: "The top three drivers in the 2010 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. In third place, for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, Fernando Alonso; in second place, for Red Bull Racing, Mark Webber; and taking the win for Red Bull Racing in the team's third 1-2 of the season, Sebastian Vettel. Seb, last season, pole and the win. This year, pole and the win, and all n the space of just one day." Seb: "Yeah. Incredible day, obviously, this morning with qualifying and the pole position, and this afternoon we just continued, so fantastic. I think it was down to the team. They have been working very hard. Most of the guys, they didn't sleep from Thursday to Saturday, so actually was good that there was no quali so they didn't have to touch the car and then cut some sleep, and I think they deserve it today. Obviously this track is, like, drawn for us. With all the high-speed corners it's always a pleasure, and with the car getting lighter and lighter in the end it's just more and more fun, and yeah, incredible. Good start, which was obviously the key from the clean side, and I could see Robert obviously got a bit of momentum, but the way down to turn one was too short for him. And then with the safety car, which stayed out quite long, obviously, with the incident with Kubica… But then after that I think both of us were able to pull away from the field and just controlling the pace until the end. There was a little bit of a rest behind Jenson because we couldn't really go through him, so we had to wait until he pits, but after that, just incredible. So really, really happy, and it's about time." [laughs] Interviewer: "You looked to have the race pretty much under control from the off, but Mark was putting you under some serious pressure after the pit stops, wasn't he?" Seb: "Yeah, I mean, obviously in his position he tries to push. I know that overtaking is not so easy and obviously… I think I just went as fast as I had to. Obviously I could see that we were pulling away. I was mainly given the pace Fernando was doing for the majority of the race. Obviously I can see Mark when he's about one, two, three seconds behind, so [laughs] as I said, obviously with Button in the middle after the pit stop halfway through the race we had to, yeah, back off a bit, and then once he pulled obviously it was free fast to go. But, as you said, it was pretty much controlled until the end, so just trying to carry the car home. But still you want to push every single lap because the car is magnificent around here. Just feels fantastic, so really happy." Interviewer: "Congratulations. Well done." [time jump] Interviewer: "Back to you. You're now tied for second in the championship. Only two drivers have ever taken back-to-back wins at suzuka other than yourself-Mika Häkkinen and Michael Schumacher-and they both went on to win the title. It's a pretty good omen." Seb: "I guess! I wouldn't mind, obviously. No, I'm very proud. I love this circuit. It's always special to come here. The fans, I think, the atmosphere for all of us is special. And yeah, it's the first time I win a grand prix for the second time, so I think ultimately you have to fall in love with this track. And yeah, very proud, so as you say. Think that's a good omen, so I wouldn't mind." [laughs] Interviewer: "Thank you very much, guys. Congrats."

Who’s the most popular German driver ?

#Mika

Mika Hakkinen | 1994 Shell Passport ad [x]