What proved to be Mika Hakkinen’s final Formula 1 season in 2001 was already going badly by the Spanish Grand Prix – and then his McLaren failed while leading on the final lap at Barcelona.
How significant that blow and its consequences proved to be in Hakkinen’s decision to retire at the end of the season is among the topics Glenn Freeman, Mark Hughes and Matt Beer ponder as our classic F1 stories podcast Bring Back V10s lands on Spain 2001.
That was the weekend traction control (officially) returned to F1, prompting an outcry from many drivers, getting support from Michael Schumacher and creating the situation in which McLaren boss Ron Dennis inaccurately accused his then main title hope David Coulthard of “brain fade” on race day.
We tackle all of that plus Juan Pablo Montoya and BAR’s first F1 podiums, driver shuffles at Prost and Jaguar, and the misery of Jenson Button’s second F1 season.
ASK US ANYTHING: Get your questions in for our series finale episodes using #BringBackV10s on Twitter, or email bringbackV10s@the-race.com
