Mika Häkkinen makes long-awaited on track return in Adelaide

Thirty-one years since Mika Häkkinen survived a near-fatal accident at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide, the Finn has returned to the circuit and driven a McLaren Solus GT at the 2026 Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival.

Häkkinen and long-time McLaren teammate David Coulthard took to the track in the Hypercars category, with Häkkinen in the Solus GT and Coulthard in a McLaren Senna GTR – braving the wet weather to put on a show for fans.

Häkkinen won the drivers’ world championship in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren, with a total of 20 grand prix wins across his 11 seasons in Formula 1. He raced at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide between 1991 and 1995, surviving a huge qualifying crash at the latter. Häkkinen spent several weeks recovering from the crash in the Royal Adelaide Hospital, returning in 1997 for a ceremony to open the hospital’s new helipad.

Coulthard won 13 grand prix in a career that spanned 15 seasons in Formula 1. He raced at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide in 1995, leading the race before crashing. He is still active in Formula 1 as an ambassador for his last team, Red Bull Racing, and as a commentator for Channel 4’s coverage in the United Kingdom.

The pair also appeared in the Adelaide Marriott Grand Marquee, reflecting back on their Adelaide memories and meeting fans. The pair return to the 2026 Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival on Sunday March 1.