Mika Hakkinen weighs in on F1 debate as fans fume over controversial changes

Former F1 champion Mika Hakkinen has weighed in on the sport’s calendar conundrum, telling fans that F1 should be embracing city centre destinations. Fans have become increasingly frustrated with the surge of street circuits in recent years, often at the expense of F1’s traditional heartland tracks. At McLaren hero Hakkinen’s F1 peak, there were only a handful of street circuits on the calendar (Adelaide until 1995, Melbourne, Montreal and Monaco). In comparison, there are seven on the 2026 calendar, covering destinations as diverse as Miami and Baku.