Mika Häkkinen Speaks Plainly About Kimi Antonelli

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has his first Formula 1 world title within his grasp: it’s now only a matter of time before he claims this well-deserved victory at just 20 years old. The driver from Bologna is earning praise from great legends of both the present and the past. Among them is two-time world champion Mika Häkkinen, one of Michael Schumacher’s greatest rivals.

“He’s doing a brilliant job. His performances this year have been absolutely fantastic. He has a great personality, a very positive attitude, and everyone likes him. He’s a very fast and talented young driver,” the former McLaren driver told the Hindustan Times.

“I think he’s in the right place at the right time. There’s an enormous amount of talent below the Formula 1 level and even in Formula 1 itself, but if you can’t find the right path right from the start, your career can be jeopardized. He’s done well to get where he is, with absolutely extraordinary talent.”

“I’m also happy for the Italians, because ever since I was a child I’ve seen so many talented young Italian drivers, but none of them made it. So I’m very happy for Italy,” Hakkinen emphasized.

“He’s leading the world championship with great ease,” the former Finnish driver continued. “The pressure is there; you can’t afford to think the job is done. But at a certain point you start to feel tired, and when you don’t have much experience yet, it’s hard to balance the energy you need to devote to different activities. You can start to lose energy and make small mistakes. But that’s normal. He’s improving; he’s becoming a better driver, but he doesn’t have many races left. So it’ll be interesting to see how he manages to stay focused.”