What happens when a Formula 1 driver, a former world champion, goes for a drive on the Mumbai streets? For starters, you get asked questions about the auto-rickshaw, tips on dealing with the city’s traffic, and then get a lesson in how each car on the F1 circuit is different.
Former two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen was in Mumbai for Johnnie Walker The Journey’s #JOINTHEPACT and The Field spoke to him about the current Formula 1 season, the intense Lewis Hamilton vs Sebastian Vettel rivalry, the most exciting driver on the grid and more.
“It’s been an exciting season this year, watching Ferrari and Mercedes, the first half of the season was exciting, it’s good for the sport. After the break, Mercedes came back with that little extra, and moment like Singapore began to open the gap, but it’s been a good season to watch, lots of winners and talented drivers on the podium,” the 49-year-old said.
Hamilton sealed his fourth world title in Mexico with two races still to go, almost obliterating the stiff competition from Vettel in the first half of the season. Almost a decade after winning his first title in a different car, the Briton is still on top of his game.
“Lewis is a very good driver, and winning four titles is a big achievement – I know, I won two and that was hard work. You can’t underestimate the hard work, concentration, focus and ambition it takes to become champion, it’s not luck (especially four times),” Hakkinen asserted.
“Any championship winning driver, needs to focus and work hard not only on himself but with the team. You have to be 100% focused to keep winning, and wanting to win is important. If you want to be the best you have to keep working, you can’t let it slip, otherwise the next driver will be there right behind you,” he added.
But what if both the leading Ferrari and Mercedes driver were placed on equal footing, in a similar car? Car, especially engine problems have practically decided world titles in the last coupe of years. This season, Vettel’s two crashes in Asia put paid to his hopes of a fifth title. How much would it change the title race equation is the best drivers had the same technical backing?
“Good question,” he quipped, before explaining why it’s not one with a right answer. “A Formula 1 car is a tailor-made so Hamilton has been with Mercedes for quite a few years so the car has been built around his driving style. So if you suddenly put Vettel in the car, I don’t think it would suit him straight away,” Hakkinen replied.
“The technicalities of cars are important, but driver still have to go onto the race track and perform. It’s a combination of lots of things that leads to victories; drivers, teams, cars and even sometimes weather or a bit of luck.”
Hakkinen also rubbished the widely discussed opinion that Mercedes’s domination in the Constructors Championship was bad for the sport.
“This isn’t something new to F1, Red Bull won four in a row, it doesn’t mean the sport isn’t interesting or competitive. New rules will always bring new challenges, and teams will go through different performance. I think the future of sport looks exciting,” he said.
And who is the one driver among the current lot who Hakkinen would like to drive with or against? The Finnish connection showed up as he named Mercedes’s Valtteri Bottas. “I would keep watching Bottas, he’s worked hard this season and driven well, his focus is on winning,” he added.
The Finn also had some hope for fans of F1’s old guard, his compatriot Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. While the Spaniard has been struck with car troubles, the Ferrari driver has largely been behind teammate Vettel and various question marks have been raised, especially over the McLaren driver.
“Fernando is a very good driver, even with a challenging few years in the car, you can see how well he drives. He’s very focused on winning, he has that mindset and approach for winning, it will be interesting to see him in the car next year. Kimi is also good driver, this year he has been out performed by Vettel, but I wouldn’t write off any of the experienced drivers. The beginning of this year showed how important experience is,” Hakkinen said.
Watch the full video interview here