David Coulthard revealed how it took years for Ron Dennis to open up about the strong emotional connection he had to Mika Hakkinen.

And that extended from Hakkinen’s horrifying crash in Adelaide, which left McLaren boss Dennis wondering if he was “standing over” Hakkinen’s “future death bed”.

Ron Dennis’ emotional Mika Hakkinen admission six years later

Coulthard and Hakkinen were McLaren team-mates from 1996-2001, Coulthard joining the team after the 1995 campaign had ended on a highly upsetting note for McLaren and Hakkinen, with the Finn suffering a huge 120mph-shunt at the Adelaide Street Circuit following a tyre failure.

Hakkinen sustained a skull fracture, internal bleeding and blocked airway, leading to him being placed into an induced coma. He would thankfully make a full recovery and went on to become a two-time World Champion with McLaren, winning the 1998 and 1999 crowns.

And when Coulthard appeared on the Red Flags Podcast, he would explain how team boss Ron Dennis eventually opened up on the impact this Hakkinen crash had on him, after it was put to Coulthard that Dennis had seemingly picked Hakkinen as the number one driver at McLaren before their partnership even began.

McLaren’s team orders at the 1998 Australian Grand Prix particularly raised eyebrows, as Coulthard conceded the win to Hakkinen, under an apparent agreement formed ahead of the race.

Coulthard said: “I think that Ron, it took him many years, and I was there nine seasons – so that’s a long time to be with one team – and it took years, I don’t know, maybe five, six years, for him to eventually open up and say to me, ‘Look, I do feel a closeness to Mika because I was standing over his hospital bed in Adelaide ’95, he’s wired up in an induced coma, and he’s just had a crash in one of my cars.

“‘I don’t know if I’m standing over his future death bed or whether he’ll ever race again’.

“I get that. I didn’t get it at the time, because for me, Mika had the crash. I was racing for Williams. We heard he was poorly, but we heard he was recovering. And then I knew I was going to be at the team, but I didn’t know if he’d been my team-mate still.

“He recovered, he came back, and therefore the rest is history, he went on to win two World Championships.

“But selfishly, I wasn’t fearing for Mika. I was thinking about my future. Sport is not the place to go if you feel uncomfortable around selfish people. We are selfish. The other person’s failing is our opportunity.

“So you never would wish ill, physical harm on anybody, but I’m not going to cry if my team-mate’s engine blows up, you know, I felt good about it. If my team-mate’s engine blew up, especially if he is in front of me… When mine then subsequently blew up, I didn’t feel quite so good about it!

“But, it’s the weird misnomer, team-mate, he’s not your mate, he’s your biggest rival.”

More F1 career stories recalled by David Coulthard

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👉 Coulthard reveals the $1million Ron Dennis offer he ‘refused’ at McLaren

Coulthard would be asked for his take on team orders and whether if he were a team boss, he would use them or follow a let them race philosophy.

He continued: “And that’s why, in many cases, you have a team where there’s a clear number one and a clear number two. When you do have that number one equal, it usually comes to a head and it usually ends up not working out.

“But to answer your question, I would want the two best drivers I can put in the car, and I would want nature to take its course, because that is what I love to watch. I love watching that as a kid. I love watching it now in retirement.

“It’s embarrassing when the number two is so number two that, you know, he’s basically doing a number two while he’s driving.”

Coulthard won 12 of his 13 grands prix with McLaren, racing with the team until joining Red Bull in 2005. He would retire from Formula 1 following the 2008 season.

Hakkinen meanwhile went on a sabbatical after the 2001 campaign, which morphed into his F1 retirement.

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