Mika Hakkinen admits he was wrong to criticise Max Verstappen's Formula 1 debut, adding that he is happy to have been proven wrong by the 18-year-old Red Bull driver.
The two-time champion said last year of Verstappen's graduation to F1 that "in no case is a driver ready for F1" at the age of just 17, adding: "As a manager or a father, I would never let a driver as young as that race in this sport."
However Hakkinen said he has been proven wrong by the Dutchman who has gone on to take four podium finishes since joining Red Bull, one of which was a race win on his debut with the team in Spain.
"I criticised him personally when he was entering Formula 1, thinking he was too young," Hakkinen is quoted as saying by Motorsport during an event in Assen this week.
"But I was really happy I was wrong, and it has strengthened my understanding that young girls and young boys they are much more ready in this world. You have to let them speak, you have listen what they have to say."
Hakkinen believes it is now easier for young people to climb the ladder because the world has changed since his teenage years, but admitted it still requires "great talent" to get there and be successful like Verstappen.
"Times have changed. Young people, more and more they are going in higher sport categories, including business, including everything. And people are developing much faster by time, simply because of the tools that are available today for them to study and understand what is happening in this world.
"You can go for it and study as much as you want on the internet if you find the right information. So the life is much more in the fast lane these days. That explains why these young drivers are entering in such high positions.
"But nevertheless you need great talent and commitment, great discipline to be successful and Max obviously has done a great job."
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