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“I just did my job”

14. Aug 2023 
by Ziv Knoll
8120 views

Mika Salo (born 30 November 1966) is a Finnish former racing driver. He competed in Formula One between 1994 and 2002. His best ranking was 10th in the World Championship in 1999, when he stood in for the injured Michael Schumacher at Ferrari for six races, scoring two podium.

At Hockenheim (1999 German Grand Prix), Mika Salo, now a Ferrari driver, out-qualified his team mate Irvine, and was holding second place in the early stages of the race.

When race leader Mika Hakkinen crashed out of the race on lap 25 due to a tyre failure, Salo found himself in the lead (picture below).

He was then ordered by his team boss Jean Todt to let team-mate and title contender Eddie Irvine win, and he duly let him pass giving up his only chance to ever win a Grand Prix. Eddie Irvine later gave the winner’s trophy to Mika Salo who calmly declared: “I had to do it, I just did my job.”

 

 

 

Source: DR

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