The finest overtake
Mika is at his peak. However, mechanical issues plague him in 2000. Three pole positions at the start yield no success. Yet, an upturn follows and he closes the gap. After succeeding in Hungary, Mika leads the DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP ahead of Michael Schumacher. Next up is Belgium, Schumacher’s strongest track. Nevertheless, Häkkinen leads from the start. But in damp conditions, after brushing the white line, Mika drifts off sideways. Artistically, he remains in control, but Michael passes him and pulls away. After the pit stop, momentum shifts. Häkkinen closes in. With five laps to go, on the Kemmel straight, he pulls out and attacks the Ferrari. But the Ferrari pushes him onto the grass at 320 km/h. The Finn is furious but stays sharp. A lap passes and they meet at the same spot. This time, backmarker Ricardo Zonta is ahead of the pair. Schumacher opts for the outside, whilst Häkkinen, making the most of the slipstream right down to the last thousandth of a second, overtakes both of them on the inside. His McLaren garage cheers joyfully and with the greatest manouvre in history for many, Mika wins in Belgium!
Title number 3 for...
The circus moves on to Monza, the temple of speed. Schumacher sets the fastest time in qualifying. However, two accidents occur at the start. The second is more serious: six drivers are forced to retire and a marshal is fatally struck by a wheel and debris. Häkkinen finishes second behind his rival. Mika thus heads to Indianapolis, the first race in the USA for nine years, with a two-point lead. Here too, the German leaves everyone behind, but the championship is effectively decided halfway through the race. Mika Häkkinen’s engine breaks down. This gives Schumacher the chance to secure his third title in Japan. At Suzuka, the Finn gets off to a better start and takes the lead. After the pit stops, though, Schumacher moves ahead. Despite the gap staying narrow, positions remain unchanged and Michael Schumacher is crowned WORLD CHAMPION!
Lentävä suomalainen
Mika has achieved his goal, but other thoughts are beginning to surface: life outside F1, family, risks. Winning titles means being in physical and mental top form, down to the very last detail. Mika is not willing to sustain this intense focus again. So, after 2001, he decides to take a sabbatical, which soon turns into retirement. The final season is far from keeping pace with his team-mate David Coulthard and Schumacher, yet Mika secures two victories at Silverstone and Indianapolis. Throughout his career, he has always remained humble and Michael Schumacher, who went on to become a seven-time WORLD CHAMPION, described him as the only driver he feared on track. Courage, speed and tenacity have shaped his mentality. Resilience, triumph and respect have shaped his eleven seasons in FORMULA 1. Mika Häkkinen: The Flying Finn!
