The Finn is throwing his weight behind Maini, and says the target is very clear: “F1 is our objective”.
Hakkinen’s track record in this department is strong, having played a significant role in the development of former Mercedes F1 race winner and current Alfa Romeo Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas.
In the current F1 field Mark Webber performs a similar role with Oscar Piastri, who has broken through in the second half of the season with podiums and a sprint race win to his credit.
Having an experienced F1 race winner in your corner means a young driver can focus on the essentials over a race weekend, learn how to win bragging rights within a team and optimise communications. And it can provide powerful business leverage, connecting with sponsors.
Maini was a top four contender in the first half of the F2 season with Campos Racing, but his results have tailed off in the second half. However with Hakkinen applying his mentoring and management techniques and processes, Maini believes that he can challenge at the front in 2024.
“I think from next year, my approach and that of my team is going to be a lot more structured thanks to Mika, “ says Maini. “Having a trainer who's looking after your nutrition at the track, a mind coach looking after anything you're going through on a race weekend. Basically the way Mika works is you narrow down everything to the point where the driver just has one job.”
Maini, 23, from Bangalore, is the younger brother of Arjun Maini, who raced two seasons in F2 and was briefly a development driver for Haas F1 team. The younger Maini finished runner up in the 2020 British F3 Championship, a series Hakkinen himself won back in 1990.
“I've watched Mika since I was young. And I know everything he has achieved in this sport,” says Maini. “So just for him to believe that I could reach Formula One shows that we've done something right in these last 15 years. It’s a massive weapon you have in your arsenal when you have Mika Hakkinen standing behind you!”
Source: Autosport