Hakkinen emphasises experience in McLaren driver title prediction

However the two-time McLaren world champion hinted that Lando Norris’ greater experience could serve him well in his championship fight with Oscar Piastri.

Hakkinen spoke alongside 1997 world champion Jaques Villeneuve at the Trento Festival of Sport event and the pair discussed racing Michael Schumacher, the Indy 500 and F1 in 2025.

Hakkinen drove for McLaren between 1993 and 2001, taking home world championships in 1998 and 1999.

He has also been a McLaren Partner Ambassador since 2017 so it may not come as much of a surprise that Hakkinen approached Norris and Piastri's title fight in a diplomatic manner.

He said: “I have to say McLaren, of course.

“The team will certainly give the drivers orders to avoid trouble.

“They're both very good, Lando has much more experience - which counts for a lot.

“But he also scores fewer points. So I don't know, one of the two."

After Piastri made a handful of uncharacteristic mistakes during the Azerbaijan GP weekend, Norris’ greater experience could prove worthwhile as the 2025 season enters its final stretch.

Norris is competing in his seventh season in the sport and launched a surging title fight in the second half of 2024 which ultimately fell short.

By contrast, Piastri is less than three years into his F1 career but has quickly established himself as one of the strongest drivers in the field - he has led the championship since the Saudi Arabian GP back in April.

Both drivers have nine career race wins and, with six events to go, just 22 points split the McLaren pair as they each hunt for a first world title.

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