Mika Hakkinen admits two young F1 drivers have done a ‘mega job’ this season

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Formula 1 legend Mika Hakkinen has suggested that McLaren stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been brilliant this season.

McLaren were in a world of trouble at the start of the year, looking like backmarkers in Bahrain, but did a fantastic job of improving their car throughout the season.

Speaking to the team’s official website, Hakkinen reflected on a brilliant end to the campaign for the Woking-based team.

Oscar Piastri might have been wondering if he made the right choice to abandon a guaranteed seat at Alpine to make the switch to McLaren.

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly looked much quicker than the young Australian but everything changed when they reached Austria.

Lando Norris’s car was fitted with a set of upgrades that suddenly saw him challenging the podium positions.

Piastri received the same upgrade package by the time they reached Silverstone, both cars were challenging for a place on the podium.

Mika Hakkinen has praised the amazing job Norris and Piastri did once the car was capable of challenging for points and podiums every weekend.

The young Brit is still waiting for his first race win but it feels like a case of when not if he stands on the top step of the podium.

Piastri might not officially have a race win to his name, but he took the chequered flag first in Qatar for the Sprint Race.

Hakkinen really impressed with Norris and Piastri

Speaking about the young pair, Hakkinen said: “The drivers have done a mega job, no question about it.

“They are consistently fast and hungry for success. They can see the team generating a better car every time they go out onto the track, and they’re motivated, and they want to win.

“There’s a very healthy competition between these two younger drivers, who are both under pressure from the team and vice-versa, which is good.

“The consistency from the drivers is making it easier for the engineers because they can collect the data from both drivers, and that can give them the direction to develop the car in a way that can help Lando and Oscar to perform.”

McLaren will be buzzing to have both Norris and Piastri in their two cars and will hope they can emulate the success that Hakkinen enjoyed with the team.

The Australian has been described as having a ‘natural gift’, while Martin Brundle believed Norris was ‘outstanding’ this season.

McLaren need to deliver a car for the 2024 season that builds on the success of the second half of last season.

They were one Max Verstappen mistake away from earning their first race win in years.

However, the Dutchman’s incredible consistency makes that a very unlikely event right now.