Mika Hakkinen is one of the fastest drivers in Formula 1 - in his first race for Marlboro Mclaren in 1993, he outqualified Ayrton Senna. He is also known for his frequent crashes. The cheerful Finn's racing ability and dogged optimism helped him hold the McLaren team together through their recent traumas, and to fight back after a near-fatal accident to take fifth place in the 1996 drivers' World Championship. This work is his full story. It includes an in-depth review of 1996 and the start of the 1997 season with expert analysis of the new McLaren chasis and Mercedes engine.