This Wet DTM Lap Of Spa Proves Why Mika Hakkinen Is A Racing Legend

After taking two world titles in Formula 1, Mika Hakkinen spent some time in the DTM series - here he is wrestling a Mercedes touring car around a very wet Spa-Francorchamps back in 2005

Jack Leslie

19 Aug 2016

The video above was Hakkinen’s pole position lap from the Spa-Francorchamps DTM race weekend in 2005. After leaving F1 at the end of 2001, Hakkinen spent a little while away from racing before returning through the DTM series.

From 2005 to 2007 he raced for Mercedes in the touring car championship, driving a V8-powered AMG C-Class DTM. He had a best finish in the standings of fifth in 2005 and won three races during his time in DTM.

Comments

Another bus stop chicane…

If in doubt, flat out xD

I fondly remember when I was 16 back in 2000, eager to get my drivers license and as I was watching the F1 live I saw the epic overtake on Schumacher in SPA… What a fantastic driver and an overal nice guy Hakkinen is.

I can’t believe how perfect that lap is, if I was driving I would have gone very sideways in those conditions…

I’d spin on the start-finish straight without even having a chance to try turn 1

He taught James May how to drive, after all..

TurboToddler Mika.. It is in the name ya know😉

I doubt it matters. You turned down the offer to drive a diesel C-class

flat plane v8? sounds boooootiful

Low traction? You’ll need a Fin.

For an ex F1 champion, driving this, is like driving in a slow motion. His reflexes are way fast for this car to be able to surprise him with anything.