Mumbai: Legendary Formula One driver and two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen during an interview, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)(PTI10_18_2026_000062B)
Häkkinen won the title in 1998 and 1999, both times ahead of Schumacher’s Ferrari. In 1995, a tyre failure in qualifying in Adelaide sent him into the wall, and doctors performed an emergency tracheotomy trackside. All these 14 guys must function perfectly in two seconds. India hasn’t hosted a Grand Prix since 2013, the last of three races at the Buddh International Circuit.
But let’s hope something really can happen, so that he can end up in Formula One,” he adds hopefully. Because of the Brad Pitt film F1 , in which Pitt plays a 1990s driver whose career is wrecked by a crash, ‘I would not act in an F1 movie; I could not’ Many non-fans have only started paying attention to F1. In Bengaluru for a fan event, the two-time champion exclusively speaks to Bangalore Times about what the sport costs, his hopes for Kush Maini, and why he won’t be in the next F1 film. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru Stay updated with the latest Bengaluru news.
‘McLaren hired a ballet choreographer to teach the mechanics’ Back in his McLaren days, Häkkinen says, the team hired a ballet choreographer for the mechanics. “To get everything perfect, McLaren hired a choreographer from London ballet to teach the mechanics exactly the right movements,” Häkkinen says. It is teamwork,” says Häkkinen. That takes practice and technique, he says, all under massive stress. Let it out, he says, then look at the data, then act. By ten, his parents realised, “Oh my God, this boy has got talent,” and began building a network of sponsors and well-connected people around him. Then they start supporting, they start using their network, helping this young driver to move forward,” says Häkkinen. Häkkinen has mentored him for three years and once said he wanted all of India cheering for him. “I don’t know,” Häkkinen says. I could not,” he says, his tone serious but a smirk on his face. “You can see the real stuff, what’s happening behind the scenes,” he adds.
By R Prashanth Vidyasagar Two-time Formula One world champion Mika Häkkinen built his legacy on blistering one-lap pace and a fierce rivalry with Michael Schumacher. But ask the Flying Finn what makes F1 tick, and he talks less about the driver than the team behind him. Cars were refuelled mid-race then, stops lasted about eight seconds, and McLaren wanted every move to be identical. Part of it was simply safety. “Also, the tyres, they’re bloody heavy. You can hurt your back if you are not in the right position,” he adds. ‘Formula One, in simple words, is teamwork’ “F1, in simple words, you can say it’s teamwork. It’s teamwork. And this is something that this world requires. Is it the businesses? Is it the family? It’s an unexpected answer from a man famous for speed. The sport nearly killed him, too. Both titles came after that. “One, two, three… fourteen guys. He tells Grand Prix guests much the same. “I always try to tell them: take something with you when you leave from here. Don’t just leave home and say it was a nice Grand Prix. Try to learn something, take something. Teams run on emotion too, and that has to be managed. “Sometimes you’re so angry. So you need to have a system for how you handle that. “It’s a very systematic operation, and that’s why Formula One is very fascinating. ‘If you want to be a driver, that’s a different story’ In India, F1 looks like a rich man’s sport, a bit like golf. He doesn’t really disagree but points out that drivers are only a small part of it. “There’s many, many different areas where you can work in Formula One, if you have a passion for it. If you want to be a driver, that’s a different story. He started racing at six. “But these networks, they need to be passionate about motorsport. And they need to also recognise that I’m a good driver. “India, it’s very difficult. It requires tracks. These are expensive sports,” he explains. He’d like young Indian racers to consider other categories too, then quickly adds, “But a Formula One driver’s job is the best job in the world. ‘Let’s hope Kush can end up in Formula One’ A Formula One seat remains elusive for Bengaluru’s Kush Maini. So what next? “There’s still F2 racing. Anything can happen. Never, never give up, basically. He is a talented driver. He can always have a great profession driving top racing cars. “I like him. He’s a great personality. He’s a fantastic guy. So I wish him all the best. With talk of a sequel, we asked if he’d take a role. “No. No, no. I would not act in it. I would not. For the real thing, he recommends Drive to Survive . Download the TOI App.
Last year Maini became the first Indian to win at Monaco, in the F2 sprint race, and he’s now a reserve and test driver for Alpine’s F1 team. Today’s pit stops take about two seconds, and he counts the crew aloud.