F1 legend Mika Hakkinen reveals reason behind incredible McLaren Red Bull prediction

Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Qatar, 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 legend reveals reason behind incredible McLaren prediction

He might well have been the only person to see this coming

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Wednesday 20 December 2023 16:57

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Two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has revealed that spending time at the McLaren factory led him to believe that a mid-season resurgence to challenge Red Bull was still possible for the team after a dismal start to 2023.

Back in June, sat P6 in the constructors' championship on just 17 points, things were looking pretty bleak for McLaren.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri simply could not get their MCL60s to fire and the team were in desperate need of rapid improvement.

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Many had written their season off, but Hakkinen, who won the 1998 and 1999 drivers' championships with McLaren, thought otherwise.

McLaren endured a nightmare start to the 2023 season

Yet Oscar Piastri (L) and Lando Norris (R) enjoyed a mid-season change in fortune

“The only surprise I think we’ll see is McLaren’s possible progress during the next two months,” he said at the time. "I think they will surprise us massively. Just in terms of the speed of the car, they will probably challenge Red Bull.”

Yet no matter how implausible it seemed at the time, the Finn was exactly right.

Piastri and Norris shot up the grid with a string of advancements to their MCL60s, as they looked to be the closest challengers to Red Bull for much of the latter-half of the season.

And Hakkinen has now revealed that it was the impressive team energy at McLaren that led him to believe a turnaround was still possible.

I knew McLaren could turn their season around

“From spending time at the factory with different departments,” he said when asked for his reason behind the bold prediction.

Mika Hakkinen won two world titles with McLaren in 1998 and 1999

“Talking with different people in the factory, seeing their motivation and how confident they were – they knew what they were talking about. And every department felt like a team.

“You could tell that they had done their homework and calculations, which made me confident. You need team spirit, and you need confidence in the team's leaders, and that is what is going on.

"There is a direction, and that is an important motivating factor. The mechanics, engineers, marketing, media, everybody at the track and factory is working super hard. The teamwork is a mega success.”

Red Bull McLaren Lando Norris Formula 1 Oscar Piastri Mika Hakkinen