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Hakkinen sees someone other than Verstappen impressing: 'He is hungry'
- Estéban den Toom
After winning the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Max Verstappen also arrived as the top favourite to the Red Bull Ring, where the Austrian Grand Prix is scheduled for this weekend. Although the Dutchman seems to be the fastest, Mika Hakkinen expects a lot of resistance from his competition from Verstappen.
Finland's 1998 and 1999 world champion expects the competition to make things difficult for the Red Bull driver. "Max Verstappen has had to work very hard for his recent wins, so although he will go to Red Bull’s ‘home circuit’ as favourite, expect a big challenge again from McLaren and Ferrari," he wrote in his column for Unibet.
Hakkinen on Verstappen's main rival
Hakkinen also knows who is going to be the 26-year-old driver's main challenger in Spielberg. "Lando Norris drove brilliantly in Spain last weekend, he has a lot of momentum and that’s important as it gives you confidence. I won in Austria in 1998 and 2000, and I would not rule out a McLaren winning in 2024. Lando’s hungry and the car has the speed."
Verstappen is no less than 69 points clear of number two in the World Championship standings, Norris. The Briton from Bristol is just two points ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. In the constructors' standings, Ferrari do still hold a lead over McLaren. The gap is 33 points prior to the Austrian Grand Prix.