16-year-old Hungarian kart racer Menyhért Krózser has found an unexpected, but all the more special sponsor. He was sponsored by two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen.

The second round of the first major international karting championship of the year, the WSK Super Master Series, was held in Cremona in mid-February. The rain had already started to fall during the practice sessions, when the drivers change their darkened helmets for light ones.

In between the two heats, Menyhért Krózser also visited the on-track helmet shop, where he bumped into two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen.

“His daughter Ella Häkkinen was racing this weekend and she came to the shop to change the visor on her daughter’s helmet,” says Menyhért Krózser. “We got talking, we talked about the track, the rain, and then he asked me where I was from. I said Hungary. His eyes immediately lit up and he started to list the Hungarian words he knew, starting with ‘Köszönöm’ (thank you).

He asked where I had competed before and what my plans were. I told him that I hadn’t raced on this circuit yet, so I wanted to gain experience here, but I’ve already been on the podium at the next race in Franciacorta, so I want to make my mark there. He said it was a great tactic and if I let him, he would pay for my visor, he would like to sponsor me.

He was a great guy and needless to say, he made my whole weekend,” Menya smiled.

And whether Menya would like to compete in Formula 1 like Mika Häkkinen?

“Of course,” he laughs. “Three hundred of us entered the WSK race this weekend, all three hundred of us want to make it to Formula 1. But I always concentrate on the next task. If I’ve learned everything in KZ2, then it’s on to Formula 4 and then we’ll see.”