F1 Drivers Can't Drift, And Here's Proof: Video

By Kurt Ernst

5 1,695 views Dec 20, 2011

Driving an F1 car at competitive speeds is a delicate ballet, danced upon a knife edge at triple digit speeds. Devotees of drifting would argue that their sport requires similar skill, since competitors run wheel to wheel in cars that, by most definitions, are already out of control.

Formula 1 drivers may be fast, and they may exhibit great car control, but as this video clearly shows, neither Mika Häkkinen nor Jenson Button pose any threat to Ken Block’s career. As part of an ongoing campaign to combat drinking and driving, both drivers agreed to “sign” their initials on pavement, using the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG as a writing implement.

Häkkinen and Button appear in support of Johnnie Walker’s “Join the Pact, Never Drink and Drive” anti-drunk-driving campaign. Previous installments have featured Häkkinen, who’s been a spokesman for the effort since 2008, as well as Jenson Button’s McLaren Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

Not to take anything away from the talents of these two drivers, but we're relatively sure that Block or Vaughn Gittin, Jr. could sign their name in cursive, with a nice scripted flourish underneath. On the other hand, neither could match Button's speed around Silverstone, regardless of the car driven, so we suppose it's a wash.

Want to join Häkkinen, Button and Hamilton in signing the pact? Head on over to the Johnnie Walker Step Inside Facebook page.