Formula 1 Has Great Fanbase In India, It Has To Come Here, Says Finnish Great Mika Hakkinen

Legendary Formula One driver and two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen believes the sport has a huge fan base in India, giving it all the more reason to make a comeback to the country. Hakkinen said he realised the scale of Formula One's following in India after arriving in the country, with the Indian government setting in motion efforts to bring the sport back. India hosted F1 races from 2011 to 2013, with all three races won by German driver Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull. "You had a race in India quite a few years ago and I have understood there is some discussion. What I have recognised, being here in India, is that the fan base is huge," Hakkinen told PTI in an exclusive interview organised by FanCode, F1's official broadcaster.

"Saying that, I think Formula 1 belongs in India. It has to come to India. Formula 1 used to have two Indian drivers in history, which, of course, further strengthens the case for a race in India.

"It is a beautiful opportunity for companies to come to India, build networks and start doing business, and vice versa. It is not only about publicity, it is about business overall. And you know what, just do it, guys."

With Kimi Antonelli on the verge of clinching the drivers' championship this season, Hakkinen said the young Italian was in a very good place and was being managed well by Mercedes.

"Kimi is definitely in a fantastic place. He is in a very good team and the team has already been taking care of him from a very young age," Hakkinen said.

"When he was driving in the junior formulae, Mercedes had already started recognising his talent. They invested more resources, effort and support to help him perform, develop and progress. Before he reached Formula 1, he had already gained significant experience driving a Formula 1 car.

"When you have talent, driving a Formula 1 car is not so difficult. It is the rest of what Formula 1 brings to your life that is challenging," he said.

Hakkinen, fondly known as "The Flying Finn", said it was important for a driver to bring the team along and manage the highs and lows well.

"You have to stay cool, calm and collected when you are racing. You need to be able to handle the pressure, and you need to be a great communicator with the engineers, so he has done a great job," Hakkinen said.

"Formula 1, most of the time, is about losing. You need to have a personality that allows you to handle those setbacks.

"You cannot be calm and cold all the time. You need to show your emotions, but at the right place and at the right time. But yeah, the only thing I want to say is that Kimi is doing absolutely fantastic work considering his experience and his age."

Hakkinen, who won the world championship in 1998 and 1999 during Michael Schumacher's era, believes Max Verstappen and Red Bull have done well to turn their season around.

"I am sure he is happier now compared to the start of the season. Definitely, in Max's case, I am really impressed by how the team was able to turn it around so quickly in terms of development. Anyway, Max is a great driver," Hakkinen said.

"But it doesn't matter how good you are. If you don't have the right machine, you cannot succeed. You cannot achieve success. Max and the team have done great work together to lift the team to where they are today," he added.

Hakkinen did not read much into all that has been happening in the Ferrari camp, putting his confidence in the skills of Lewis Hamilton and the legacy of the company.

"It's interesting. I think Lewis and Charles Leclerc, and how they are going about things, have attracted a lot of attention at the moment. I'm from Finland, so I'd rather talk less and focus more on action. In that regard, I am quite surprised," Hakkinen said.

"It's also a way of putting a bit of pressure on the team. When you talk publicly, everybody hears it. It's a very fine balance. But from what I can see, Ferrari have made excellent progress and they know they are not there yet. I think Lewis has done brilliant work; absolutely fantastic driving."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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