Mika Häkkinen: The story of the 1999 Monza spin and tears in the park - Unibet Classics

What happened to Mika Häkkinen in the 1999 Monza GP? On this classic clip filmed some years ago, Mika Häkkinen tells the story about his spin, what happened afterwards in the park and why the whole episode was a good wake up call for Mika, who ended up winning his second Drivers' Champion title in the final GP (Suzuka) of the F1 season 1999.

[@bethaniie_]

he's an awesome story-teller

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

Mika looks great. He was always a gentleman

[@fra93ilgrande]

He was so demotivated his biggest rival, Schumacher, was out he almost messed up the season, but in the end he still won that championship 🗿🔝

[@ssssssss6889]

Agree. His motivation and his game was depending on the level of rivalry he had. When driving for Lotus with different teammates in different weekends , he worked the hardest when Johnny Herbert was in the other car and not Micheal Bartels or others. That's the back then team manager ( or principal , whatever it is or means !) who said that on a later interview or so. I clearly remember this point being voiced , I believe , should be John Watson on Eurosport during a race.

[@FrickinCCDeVileV]

Even the greatest spin out once in a while

[@timkasansky2528]

or twice. He made a mistake as stupid as this on Imola.

[@EcknerMJRamos]

Great driver

[@wolfgangvan-uber6515]

I always wondered why he didn’t try to get out of the gravel again and continue, did he stall his engine?

[@timkasansky2528]

probably yes. He threw the steering wheel away even before the car came to a stop.

[@Jil8840]

Hakkinen was dooned in Italy. He was always making big mistakes. He span out twice in Monza and he crashed in Imola. He seemed unable to solve that out!!!!! Did he had enormous pressure from the Ferrari fans??? I don't know. I think that he never won in Italy.

[@lukeguilfoyle2425]

No Finn has ever won on Italian soil, Mika, Kimi or Bottas, which is quite weird when you think about it.

[@Jil8840]

@@lukeguilfoyle2425 very weird.

[@thepsychologist8159]

@@lukeguilfoyle2425 Just as no F1 Italian driver has ever won in Finland 🙂

[@Kaisersoze2006]

this man got sisu

[@epistemocrat]

what is funny is that frustration is not a finnihs word .. lols

[@aleksandarstankovic416]

Pure gold .. and only 24 ❤‍🩹.. ANY PAIR OF would get more, I always cheered against Mika (I'm a M.S. fan) but I always respected him ... and with every year that feeling grows (Belgium 2000) and his and Michael's relationship off the track.
I don't believe that I will be able to do that with any driver of the newer generation, especially with LH..