Hakkinen full of praise for McLaren setup

Mika Hakkinen has praised the management of the McLaren team as they look to build on their respectable start to the 2019 season with their two new drivers.

McLaren started the new season with an all-new line-up of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris following the retirement of Fernando Alonso and the departure of Stoffel Vandoorne. After years of inconsistency, the McLaren team have made a reasonable start with a Q3 and sixth place finish for Norris in his first two races, although Sainz has failed to finish in Australia and Bahrain.

Speaking to Sky Hakkinen praised not the team’s car but instead the morale and motivation, saying: “Everyone is extremely motivated, McLaren's team management is great, it's great people who work tirelessly and know exactly what they're doing.

“The bottom line, however, is people's motivation, and it's there.”

Norris finished second in Formula 2 last season and is touted as one of the best young drivers on the grid, whilst Sainz has a mix of both youth and experience.

“Besides, you now have two young drivers who incite each other, which is positive,” added Hakkinen.