Hakkinen: I hope Finland has more F1 drivers

Recently in Helsinki there was a presentation of a new biographical book dedicated to Mika Hakkinen, because next year it will be 25 years since he won his first Formula 1 title.

The book is called Häkkinen – Lentävä legenda, which can be translated as “Flying Legend”, because racers from the land of Suomi are often called “Flying Finns”.

Mika was unable to attend the presentation in person, but did participate via a video link. In particular, he was asked if there is any hope that new drivers from Finland will appear in Formula 1, as after Kimi Raikkonen’s resignation, only Valtteri Bottas was left in the championship. At the same time, there is not a single promising driver in the youth classes who you could say with confidence that he is already on his way to the highest category of motorsport.

But the two-time world champion does not consider the situation hopeless: “Finnish drivers still have the opportunity to break through in Formula 1, and such an opportunity will continue to exist in the future. This is not a problem, because the Finns have a good reputation traditionally – in the sense that we don’t differ only in speed. We are laconic, not so much giving information, but about the case.

That is why we achieve success, we are loved. I really hope we will still have drivers in Formula 1. There is a good basis for that. After all, we are the fastest country in the world! (Hakkinen also undoubtedly means that 22-year-old Kalle Rovanperä won the World Rally Championship a few weeks ahead of schedule)

Of course, in the days of Keke Rosberg (the 1982 world champion, who then took over Hakkinen’s career himself), everything was much more complicated, that’s a fact. But there are no easy ways. Huge money, selfless work, the necessary connections and a willingness to make sacrifices have always been required. Moreover, sacrifices were demanded not only from the racer himself, but also from his entourage, from all the people close to him.

Now in karting, in the categories where boys and girls are 10-15 years old, the level of competition is very high, the training load is high, and to succeed in competitions, great efforts must be made.

There are a lot of fast racers, and many of those countries where there are more opportunities to get financial support to continue their careers – until it’s already time to move into Formula 1.

In Finland there are also promising racers, so it’s not about talent. Sometimes they ask me for help, and I have some contacts with young people, although of course I can do without.