In the book, Mika Häkkinen tells about the intrigues behind the scenes.
Mika Häkkinen was for years one of the most respected drivers in the formula pit. Zumawire / MVPHOTOS
Mika Hakkinen remained loyal to McLaren during his F1 career, even if the two-time world champion had enough takers in other teams.
Häkkinen joined the British team for the 1993 season. Finnish manager Keke Rosberg had already negotiated the transfer of Häkkinen to the top team Williams, until the already completed contract had to be shredded when Williams and Häkkinen’s employer at the time, Lotus, argued.
Rosberg negotiated a place for Häkkinen from McLaren. Häkkinen stayed there until the end of his F1 career.
The union between Häkkinen and McLaren was ultimately successful, but the years also included difficult periods. Every driver and his background team are always feeling out their situation on the transfer market, even if they don’t shout about it publicly.
Even before his world championships, Häkkinen enjoyed a reputation as one of the fastest drivers in the pit. Formula supplier Heikki Kullan in the book written by Mika Häkkinen – Lentävä legenda (Readme, 2022), the Finnish driver describes his position during his driving years frankly.
– It would have been the case that by just clicking my fingers, I would have been able to get to another team if I had wanted to.
Rosberg was tempted to play around
Manager Keke Rosberg held the sides of his protege. Zumawire / MVPHOTOS
Manager Rosberg sometimes tried to entice Häkkis to visit the motorhome of McLaren’s rival Ferrari. Rosbeg knew what kind of media frenzy, and thus it would have produced better trumps at the negotiating table.
However, Häkkinen did not obey. In the book, he says that he wanted to guarantee labor peace at McLaren.
– I avoided going to build that rumor department because I didn’t want to spoil our spirit inside McLaren. If word had gotten out that Häkkinen was now sitting in the Ferrari, the team would have immediately been scared that I was leaving. Why would I have started to bully others like that?
When he left driving at the end of the 2001 season, the two-time world champion announced that he would take a sabbatical. He is still on that path.
– If I had been in such a mood that I would have decided to do something else in the 2001 season, I could have gone to do more fun and drive for a couple of more years. Back then, I could have started doing the pranks, but I wasn’t ready for that anymore, Mika admits now.
Häkkinen later held negotiations with Williams about a driving position for the 2005 season. In the end, Häkkinen decided to withdraw from the project.
It was a wise move in the end. Häkkinen left the Formula Ones at a good time, while still at the top.
In his book, Kulta quotes Keke Rosberg about the difficulty of Häkkinen’s return.
– Michael Schumacher was already at Ferrari then. That road would have been blocked. Where would Mika have wanted from McLaren?
The italicized passages are extracts from 11.10. from the upcoming work Mika Häkkinen – Lentävä legenda (Readme, Heikki Kulta).