Mika Salo: Racing Through a Collapsed Lung and Still Landing on the Podium | Racers Unchained

Mika Salo joins Racers Unchained and proves just how far a driver will go to compete. On race day in Miami, Salo was driving down from Fort Lauderdale when his lung collapsed—a recurring issue that had followed him since his Formula 3000 days in Japan. Struggling to breathe and unsure if he could even start, he made the call to race anyway. The result? A podium finish. From freezing winters in Finland to wheel-to-wheel battles across Formula 1, sports cars, and beyond, Salo reflects on a career that spans nearly every discipline in motorsport. He shares stories from his early karting days—starting at just five years old—through dominating Finnish and Scandinavian championships, to his rivalry with fellow Finn Mika Häkkinen as they climbed the ranks in Formula Ford and British F3. The conversation covers the realities of racing before the internet era, the challenges of losing a full year to military service, and the pivotal decision to race in Japan during a time when it was packed with top-tier talent. Salo also looks back on his endurance racing success, including wins at Le Mans, Sebring, and Spa, and what it takes to adapt across so many different types of race cars. This episode is a deep dive into resilience, old-school racing grit, and a career built on doing whatever it takes to stay in the fight. 0:00 - Racing IndyCar with a collapsed lung 1:20 - Mika Salo's career stats 2:06 - Karting from age 5 in Finland 5:15 - Moving to England for Formula 3 8:07 - Racing in Japan with Irvine, Herbert & Ratzenberger 12:52 - The midnight call that got him into F1 16:25 - Jacques Villeneuve gets him the BAR seat 17:32 - Ferrari calls — he's on the next plane to Maranello 20:07 - Leading at Hockenheim and team orders 25:07 - Why he regrets never racing an oval 38:35 - Life as an F1 driver steward 43:37 - His son's racing career in Japan #MikaSalo #RacersUnchained #Motorsport #Formula1 #LeMans24 #RacingLife #PaulTracy