Mika Häkkinen Archives

Luka Sammalisto reflects on karting, Formula 4 growth, key lessons, racing idols, and his ambition to fight for the title.

Racing up the ladder | From Finnish karting to Italian F4: Luka Sammalisto on growth, ambition and racing idols

Karishma Persad2 months ago2 months ago010 mins

Luka Sammalisto’s journey through motorsport has developed through persistence, adaptation, and a clear sense of ambition. From his earliest years in karting to his progression into Italian Formula 4, Sammalisto has built his career around learning from setbacks, seizing opportunities, and continuing to refine the foundations that shaped him. After beginning in karting at a…

Damon Hill celebrates victory at the 1995 F1 Australian Grand Prix as Adelaide hosted its final F1 race for the foreseeable future

Adelaide’s most recent F1 experience: What happened in the 1995 Australian Grand Prix?

Dillon Rigby5 months ago5 months ago06 mins

The Adelaide Street Circuit hosted 11 Formula 1 races in total from 1985-1995 with the most recent serving as the 1995 season finale in an event which would break the official race attendance record with 210,000, a record that stood until the 2000 F1 United States Grand Prix. Apart from 2006, 2010 and a COVID-affected…

Inside a legendary F1 comeback: Steve Hallam on Mika Häkkinen's first private F1 test at Paul Ricard after huge Adelaide crash in 1995.

Exclusive: Steve Hallam on Mika Häkkinen’s first F1 test after huge Adelaide crash in 1995

James O'Connor8 months ago8 months ago05 mins

November 2025 marks 30 years since Mika Häkkinen’s huge crash during Friday qualifying at the F1 Australian GP in Adelaide. The Finn had a rear tyre failure heading into turn 10. His car got airborne and spat him into the tyres at over 100mph as he entered the fastest corner on the circuit. Trackside medics…

In the next part of Pit Debrief's exclusive interview with legendary F1 engineer Steve Hallam, we discussed what it was like to work with Ron Dennis.

Exclusive: Steve Hallam on working with inspiring Ron Dennis at McLaren F1

James O'Connor1 year ago1 year ago04 mins

In the next part of Pit Debrief‘s exclusive interview with legendary F1 engineer Steve Hallam, we discussed what it was like to work with Ron Dennis at McLaren. Ron Dennis has incredibly successful career as team boss at McLaren F1 From 1981 through to early 2009, Ron Dennis was the boss at McLaren Racing. He…