Mika Hakkinen’s incredible McLaren F1 prediction revisited after latest title triumph

McLaren have won back-to-back F1 constructors’ titles for the first time since the 1990s.

With six races to spare, McLaren secured the 2025 constructors’ crown at the Singapore Grand Prix.

A third-place finish for Lando Norris was enough for the Woking outfit to seal another title.

While the team’s attention will naturally be on the drivers’ championship battle between Norris and Oscar Piastri, it’s an incredible achievement.

Just eight years ago, McLaren were ninth in the F1 constructors’ standings with only 30 points.

The road to recovery looked impossible.

Even after their renaissance between 2019 and 2021 under Andreas Seidl, McLaren took another step back.

McLaren started 2023 with the slowest car.

Neither McLaren driver scored a point in the opening two races of the season.

However, ahead of the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren legend Mika Hakkinen made a bold prediction.

Hakkinen said: “The only surprise I think we’ll see is McLaren’s possible progress during the next two months.

“Just in terms of the speed of the car, they will probably challenge Red Bull.”

Hakkinen was widely mocked for his claim.

At the time, McLaren hadn’t scored a podium and were sixth in the constructors’ championship.

Key Austria upgrade

A significant upgrade package introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix transformed McLaren.

From Austria onwards, Norris scored seven podiums – finishing second on six occasions.

Hakkinen’s prediction was proved to be spot on.

That run of success ultimately culminated in McLaren becoming a front-runner again in 2024.

McLaren beat Ferrari to the 2024 constructors’ title by just 14 points.

They then made another step over the winter in 2025, becoming F1’s dominant force.

There’s no doubt that Hakkinen’s 2023 prediction is one of the greatest ever made in sport – particularly as he was ridiculed for it.