Two-time world champion Hakkinen and 13-time grand prix winner Coulthard will headline the festival on February 28 and March 1, taking part in on-track demonstrations and off-track appearances. The cars they will drive will be confirmed closer to the event.
It will mark the duo’s first visit to Adelaide since the last Formula 1 Grand Prix held at the venue in 1995.
For Hakkinen, the return to Adelaide is deeply personal.
The Finn competed at the Australian Grand Prix on the city’s street circuit from 1991 to 1995 and survived a life-threatening crash during qualifying for the 1995 race.
He spent several weeks recovering at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, later returning in 1997 to help open the hospital’s new helipad.
“Returning to Adelaide after so many years promises to be a special experience,” Hakkinen said.
“The city holds a range of emotions and memories for me, personally, not least the support I received following my crash in 1995.
“I’m looking forward to coming back.”
Coulthard, who raced in Adelaide in 1995 and famously led the grand prix before crashing out, said he was excited to reconnect with the city’s motorsport heritage.
“Adelaide was my first-ever Australian Grand Prix in F1 back in 1995, so it will be a trip down memory lane at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival,” he said.
“Adelaide played an important role in the history of Formula 1, so it’s a fitting venue to share our passion for motorsport with fans.”
The pair raced together at McLaren for six seasons between 1996 and 2001, forming one of Formula 1’s longest-serving teammate partnerships.
Hakkinen claimed back-to-back world championships in 1998 and 1999, while Coulthard remained a consistent race winner and is now a Red Bull Racing ambassador and UK television commentator.
The 2026 festival will again feature a packed program of categories, including F1 machinery, V8 Supercars, sportscars, touring cars, bikes and drift cars, alongside car displays, food trucks, bars, family zones and hospitality suites.
Tickets are already on sale with early bird pricing available for a limited time.
After their Adelaide appearance, Hakkinen and Coulthard will embark on a speaking tour across Australia and New Zealand across March.
The “Mika & DC” shows will visit Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Auckland, giving fans a chance to hear stories from their celebrated careers, their fierce rivalry and lasting friendship, as well as their take on the current F1 landscape and the upcoming 2026 season.
Discussion about this post