Hakkinen remembers Adelaide
Mika Hakkinen‘s accident at Adelaide remains one of the iconic moments in 1990s F1. The Circus was shaken by the recent deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger during the tragic Imola weekend, but it reacted with practical measures that started a path which significantly improved driver safety within a few years. At least until 1995, however, F1 continued to be an extremely dangerous sport.
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When the Finnish driver, during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on November 10, 1995, lost control of the McLaren due to a tire blowout, he crashed violently into the barriers near Brewery Bend. Hakkinen suffered a skull base fracture and internal bleeding; when F1 medical chief Sid Watkins arrived at the crash site, the driver was not breathing: the rescue operation was perfect and very fast, and most likely saved the two-time world champion’s life. Watkins’ team performed an emergency tracheotomy right at the trackside before transferring him to the nearby hospital, where he stayed for almost two months. After months of delicate rehabilitation, the Finn fully recovered and returned to the wheel already in 1996, surprising the Formula 1 world with the speed of his recovery. Hakkinen himself recalled those moments in a recent interview.
Hakkinen’s words on Adelaide
“When I hit that huge curb exiting the corner, the car flew into the air, at that moment I realized it was going to be a bad crash,” Hakkinen commented on the Up to Speed podcast. “When I tried to move my hands and legs, it was impossible. And I thought: ‘Oh sh*t’. Then the guy in front of me came and told me to relax and do nothing. Then someone turned off the lights.”
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“The first person I saw was Lisa Dennis, it felt like I was in heaven. Then I also saw Ron Dennis and I realized that wasn’t heaven,” he added laughing. “I think the decisions after that accident are among the hardest. You could easily say to forget about racing, but the questions keep spinning in your head. I don’t know if it’s related to youth, ego, or the desire to prove I could do it, but I came back. It wasn’t easy, because you have to make sure your mind doesn’t think about the fear of the crash.”
That crash deeply marked Hakkinen’s career but did not change his destiny. In the second half of 1996, the Finn consistently reached the podium, and in 1997 he achieved his first victory, albeit as a gift from Jacques Villeneuve at Jerez de la Frontera. In 1998 and 1999 came the well-deserved crowning with two world titles.
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