 Ramba uchiverenga ndima ino - Mumakwikwi anotevera akaitwa muBritain apo McLaren yakaunza shanduro yakagadziridzwa yemotokari yavo, yavo a hrefMcLaren20MP411BMcLaren MP411Ba, Häkkinen akasvika pakupedzisira yake yekutanga yemwaka nechitatu nzvimbo. Zvisinei, akarega kupinda munhangemutange inotevera yakaitwa muGermanynemhaka yokukundikana kwegiyabhokisi. Izvi zvakaratidza kuchinja kwemwaka waHäkkinen sezvo akapedza makwikwi matatu akatevera, kusanganisira nzvimbo yechitatu yakateedzana muBelgium neItaly. MunaGunyana, zvakaziviswa kuti Häkkinen aizoramba ari kuMcLaren muna 1997, mushure mekunge ambobatanidzwa naWilliams naBenetton. Akasiya basa mumutambo wekupedzisira muPortugal zvichiguma nekuputika nemumwe wake Coulthard, achikuvadza bapiro rekumberi raHäkkinen uye pakupedzisira zvakamutungamira kuti aende pamudyandigere wechi52 wemakwikwi. Akapedzisa mwaka nekupedza nzvimbo yechitatu mumutambo wekupedzisira wakaitirwa muJapan. Häkkinen akapedza mwaka wechishanu muDrivers Championship, achiwana 31 mapoinzi. 