Mika Hakkinen shares why he thinks Lando Norris has an advantage over Oscar Piastri in F1 title fight

Follow us on Google Discover

The last driver to win multiple Formula 1 world championships for McLaren was Finnish legend Mika Hakkinen.

Mika Hakkinen defeated Michael Schumacher and McLaren teammate David Coulthard in 1998 and 1999 before having a sabbatical at the end of the 2001 campaign that still hasn’t technically finished.

Periods of dominance for Schumacher and Fernando Alonso followed before Lewis Hamilton became McLaren’s most recent champion in 2008.

That run looks set to come to an end this year, although Jacques Villeneuve is still predicting Max Verstappen to win the championship.

If Verstappen can’t overturn a 63-point deficit in the final six races of the 2025 F1 campaign, then either Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris will become world champion.

Piastri has a 22-point advantage over Norris in the drivers’ championship, but that could be erased over one weekend if the Australian fails to finish in the top 10 for whatever reason.

Hakkinen has now suggested why he thinks Norris has an advantage over Piastri, despite the 24-year-old’s current lead in the standings.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Mika Hakkinen backs Lando Norris to use his ‘experience’ against Oscar Piastri in F1 title fight

Hakkinen was a guest alongside Villeneuve at Il Festival dello Sport di Trento at the weekend and discussed the current Formula 1 season.

After Villeneuve suggested that Verstappen would become champion this year, the question was posed to the Finn, who answered more diplomatically, considering his McLaren connections.

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

“The team will certainly give the drivers orders to avoid trouble. They are both very good, but Lando has much more experience.

“That counts for a lot. But he also has fewer points. So I don’t know, one of the two.”

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

What Lando Norris could learn from Mika Hakkinen to win the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship

Hakkinen beat Schumacher by 14 points in 1998, although the pair were level with two races to go heading into the Luxembourg Grand Prix.

The Finnish driver won from the seven-time world champion at the Nurburgring, before a puncture caused by Esteban Tuero’s Minardi ruined Schumacher’s chances in Japan.

Schumacher wasn’t in contention the following season after breaking his legs at the British Grand Prix.

However, Ferrari failed to back Eddie Irvine sufficiently to compete with Hakkinen, who was helped by Coulthard throughout the season.

Coulthard previously explained how Hakkinen stopped him from becoming a world champion, and it’s a lesson that Norris needs to learn.

The Finn was ruthless, not allowing any relationship with his teammate to get in his way.

On top of that, Coulthard praised Hakkinen’s consistency, something that Norris struggled with at the beginning of the season.

Too often, Norris failed to hook up the perfect lap in the last part of qualifying, giving Piastri an advantage going into each race.

That hasn’t been the case as often since the summer break, suggesting that Norris is beginning to capitalise on what many believe is a slight pace advantage over the Australian.

Ultimately, so little separates the two drivers that it’s likely that whoever makes the fewest mistakes will become champion this year.