#Mika

Mika giving David the princess treatment

#Keke

Can you tell us more about ron psycopath dennis coming to keke because keke didn't want to leave sick nico behind?

so in 1992 mika hakkinen, at the time driving for lotus, signed a contract to drive with williams for the following year (an excellent decision as williams won the constructors championships in 92 & 93, and took the drivers' championships with mansell in 92 and prost in 93). lotus protested the decision, claiming that hakkinen was still under contract to them, and williams withdrew their offer (they eventually paid keke and mika damages, because the contract was actually fine and by withdrawing, they were in breach).

this meant that by the winter break, mika didn't actually have a drive for the following year. keke spoke to ligier, but they were unwilling to actually sign mika, so keke called ron dennis. ron dennis reportedly wanted a longer, more formal meeting, but at the time, nico, who was about 7 years old, was very ill with some sort of blood disease, and keke didn't want to leave for any real length of time.

so two days before christmas, while ron dennis was skiing in the alps, keke made him leave his resort and meet keke at courchevel airport (apparently one of the world's most extreme airports) in the middle of the night to sign the deal. ron dennis showed up, signed the deal, mika officially became the test/reserve driver for mclaren, and keke flew back to nico.

this was keke and ron's relationship when keke drove for him. it doesn't seem like the dynamic changed much when keke stopped racing.

#mika

I'M FUCKIGN CRYIGGGG

lewis hamilton shower gel ad #startyourengine

F1 drivers at the Independence Day Reception, annually hosted at the Presidential Palace on 6th of December

Mika Häkkinen

Kimi Räikkönen

Keke Rosberg

Keke & Sina Rosberg sparked controversy in 1986 with Sina wearing a suit and bowtie not far from his husband's style; on the contrary to the style etiquette of women having to wear gowns at the time. They later disappeared from the ball, leaving quite early.

++BONUS:

Sebastian (in Finnish): "It was a good day. Where's my invitation to the Palace? I'm almost a Finnish man."

#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.

i posted the gif with the ayrton and mika part but so much happens in this video is unbelievable

Kids.

Mika at the opening of the new helicopter platform of the Royal Adelaide Hospital which he helped fund.

so again google images has granted me some beautiful photos from the ancient times

here we have baby Mika Salo and baby Mika Häkkinen and I feel the need to point out that while Mika S manages to smile very charmingly Mika H looks like a dork (a cute one but a dork)

it’s cute because they didn’t really like each other

i’ve posted this one before but it kinda proves my point above, there’s barely any change even after they entered F1, Mika S smiles and poses like a pro and Mika H is like “are you taking the photo now or did you take it already what am i doing”

also this one is perf because there’s JJ Lehto all “fuck yeah bitches imma winner look at my pepsodent smile and beautiful hair” and Mika H who finished third is like “trophy”