Editing Mika Häkkinen (section)

===Team Lotus (1991–1992)===
{{main|Team Lotus}}

====1991====
[[File:Mika Hakkinen 1991 USA.jpg|thumb|right|Häkkinen driving for Lotus at the [[1991 United States Grand Prix]], his Formula One debut race]]
Häkkinen made his first test in a Formula One car with the [[Benetton Formula|Benetton]] team driving 90 laps around the [[Silverstone Circuit]] and set quicker lap times than regular driver [[Alessandro Nannini]]. He found it difficult to fit into the Benetton but liked the steering and throttle response. Häkkinen expected not to be offered a seat at Benetton and he decided to sign with the [[Team Lotus|Lotus]] team for the [[1991 Formula One season|1991 season]].<ref name="interviewhakkinen"/> Making his debut in the [[1991 United States Grand Prix|United States Grand Prix]] alongside teammate [[Julian Bailey (racing driver)|Julian Bailey]], Häkkinen qualified thirteenth on the grid and suffered an engine failure on the sixtieth lap and was classified thirteenth. The next race in [[1991 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]] saw him finish ninth, and scored his first Formula One points by reaching fifth place in [[1991 San Marino Grand Prix|San Marino]].<ref name="MMagBio" /> Häkkinen suffered from a dip in race form as he encountered consecutive retirements in the next two races—his car suffered from an oil leak in [[1991 Monaco Grand Prix|Monaco]] and spun out in [[1991 Canadian Grand Prix|Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|title=1991 Monaco GP|url=http://www.chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1991&gp=Monaco%20GP&r=1&type=res|publisher=ChicaneF1|access-date=2 November 2014|archive-date=12 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012050019/http://chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1991&gp=Monaco%20GP&r=1&type=res|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1991 Canadian GP|url=http://www.chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1991&gp=Canadian%20GP&r=1&type=res|publisher=ChicaneF1|access-date=2 November 2014|archive-date=12 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012050213/http://chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1991&gp=Canadian%20GP&r=1&type=res|url-status=live}}</ref> Before Canada, Bailey lost his seat at Lotus due to a lack of funding,<ref>{{cite web|title=Julian Bailey|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/teamlotus/motorsport/driver/1115.html|work=ESPN.co.uk|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=1 November 2014|archive-date=1 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101212448/http://www.espn.co.uk/teamlotus/motorsport/driver/1115.html|url-status=live}}</ref> so Häkkinen was partnered by [[Johnny Herbert]] and [[Michael Bartels]] throughout the remainder of the season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schot|first=Marcel|title=We are the Champions|url=http://atlasf1.autosport.com/98/jpn/schot.html|work=Atlas F1|publisher=Haymarket Publications|date=4 November 1998|access-date=2 November 2014|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231429/http://atlasf1.autosport.com/98/jpn/schot.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although Häkkinen secured a ninth-place finish in [[1991 Mexican Grand Prix|Mexico]], he did not qualify for the [[1991 French Grand Prix|French Grand Prix]]. Over the remainder of the season, he did not finish four of the nine races he entered. Häkkinen finished his debut season sixteenth in the Drivers' Championship, scoring two points.<ref name="MMagBio" />

====1992====
[[File:Häkkinen British GP 92.jpg|thumb|Häkkinen at the [[1992 British Grand Prix]]]]
Häkkinen remained at Lotus for [[1992 Formula One season|1992]] and was partnered by Herbert.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cooper|first=Adam|title=Farewell Johnny Herbert!|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/11839|work=Autosport|publisher=Haymarket Publications|date=21 October 2000|access-date=1 November 2014|archive-date=9 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709092603/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/farewell-johnny-herbert-5022150/5022150/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the opening round of the season in [[1992 South African Grand Prix|South Africa]], Häkkinen finished in ninth position, which he followed up with his first points of the season in [[1992 Mexican Grand Prix|Mexico]]. He took a further finish in [[1992 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]], although he did not qualify for the [[1992 San Marino Grand Prix|San Marino Grand Prix]] and suffered consecutive retirements in the following two races.<ref name="MMagBio" /> At [[1992 Monaco Grand Prix|Monaco]], Lotus introduced their new car, the [[Lotus 107]]. Häkkinen later gathered further consecutive points in the following two races,<ref name="MMagBio" /> before he was forced into retirement at the [[1992 German Grand Prix|German Grand Prix]] due to an engine failure.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grand Prix Results: German GP, 1992|url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr526.html|work=GrandPrix.com|publisher=Inside F1, Inc.|date=26 July 1992|access-date=2 November 2014|archive-date=11 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011185336/http://grandprix.com/gpe/rr526.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A similar pattern followed in the next three races, which was broken when he finished fifth in [[1992 Portuguese Grand Prix|Portugal]] and suffered a retirement at the penultimate round of the year in [[1992 Japanese Grand Prix|Japan]]. Häkkinen concluded the season with a seventh-place finish in [[1992 Australian Grand Prix|Australia]].<ref name="MMagBio" />

During the season, Häkkinen became embroiled in a contract dispute. Häkkinen, who was under contract to Lotus, opted to join [[WilliamsF1|Williams]]. However, Williams had not submitted their entry for the 1993 season, and Häkkinen was unable to join the team when he learnt that Lotus team principal Peter Collins would veto the Williams team entry if they had signed Häkkinen.<ref name="hakkinencontract">{{cite web|last=Graham|first=Alex|title=1993 and Hakkinen – What Really Happened?|url=http://atlasf1.autosport.com/97/bra/graham.html|work=Atlas F1|publisher=Haymarket Publications|date=2 April 1997|access-date=11 September 2014|archive-date=21 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121013131/http://atlasf1.autosport.com/97/bra/graham.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Häkkinen later approached [[Equipe Ligier|Ligier]] although his contract contained a clause of which his manager [[Keke Rosberg]] disagreed. He later approached [[McLaren]] team principal [[Ron Dennis]] for a contract with the team, which was drafted at [[Courchevel Airport]]. The dispute eventually went to the Formula One Contract Recognition Board, who ruled in favour of McLaren after two days of deliberation.<ref name="hakkinencontract"/>