Mika Hakkinen praises Max Verstappen’s teamwork and performance. F1 | Hakkinen: “Verstappen has done an incredible job with the team to maximize performance”.

Strong post-summer results

Two wins and two second-place finishes: these are the results Max Verstappen has achieved since the summer break, performances that have allowed the four-time world champion to put pressure on the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the title fight.

Mika Hakkinen, discussing Verstappen’s championship prospects, emphasized how the Dutch driver has taken full advantage of the opportunities presented along the way. “Title? It’s a mathematical possibility,” Hakkinen told Hindustan Times. “But the fact is that Max has done an incredible job with the team to maximize the car’s performance. It’s simply incredible.”

Going it alone

The Finnish legend continued his analysis, adding, “Sometimes results are like a wave—they’re not consistent. Max is very much on his own with the team. He doesn’t have a teammate pushing him to maximize his personal performance. So it’s interesting to see how Max manages to move forward. It’s very interesting.”

Mika Hakkinen’s remarks highlight Max Verstappen’s ability to consistently extract maximum performance from his Red Bull, even without the internal pressure a teammate might provide. This ability to stay focused and capitalize on every opportunity demonstrates why Verstappen remains a dominant force in the 2025 Formula 1 season.