Hakkinen on Verstappen dominance: ‘Is it going to last forever? No”
The Flying Finn won consecutive championships in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren, similarly to the consecutive victories of Max Verstappen of the past couple of years.
While there have been complaints over 2023 being a boring season of Formula 1 as Verstappen looks sure to wrap up his third title on the bounce in dominating fashion, Hakkinen has offered a driver’s perspective on the contest so far, given he too had a commanding season when he and Coulthard won nine of the 16 races on offer in ‘98.
“When I was racing in Formula 1, when I was winning, and dominating in 1998 with my teammate, David Coulthard, I felt that year was fantastic”, he told RacingNews365.
“It was not boring, and I’m sure Max is experiencing the same thing. He is not bored, he doesn’t think the races are boring.
“All the time he is raising his personal limits and his performance, which is great, but of course, when fans who are not fans of Max are looking, they think it is boring, but the fans of Max think it is the best thing”.
Verstappen has found form that has seen him mentioned in the same breath as some of the greats of the sport, as he looks unstoppable in comparison to the current grid in his RB19.
Likewise to those gone by however, Hakinnen says this dominance will end at some point: "Max is a winner at the moment, Red Bull is a winner at the moment and this is motor racing.
"Is it going to last forever? No, because that's how history repeats itself.
"There will be changes coming. When? I don't know, but I can only say that the work they do and the success they get, they deserve that. Let them enjoy it."
