Hakkinen warns McLaren on Verstappen move: ‘Why rock the boat?’

Mika Hakkinen has urged McLaren to resist the temptation of making a blockbuster move for Max Verstappen, warning that the team risks damaging a winning formula by disrupting the driver line-up that has helped propel it back to the front of Formula 1.

The Dutchman’s future in the sport remains one of the biggest talking points heading into the second half of the 2026 season, with speculation continuing over whether the four-time world champion could leave Red Bull if certain contractual conditions are triggered.

While Mercedes has long been linked with a potential move for Verstappen, recent reports have also suggested McLaren could emerge as a possible destination should Verstappen decide to seek a new challenge.

But Hakkinen, who claimed both of his titles with McLaren in the late 1990s, believes the Woking-based squad already possesses the key ingredient needed for sustained success: a strong internal balance.

‘Minimise that risk’ of disrupting McLaren’s harmony

Speaking on the recent Up To Speed podcast, Hakkinen acknowledged the appeal of signing a driver of Verstappen’s calibre but questioned whether McLaren should interfere with a partnership that is already delivering results.

“It’s very interesting, it's not only Max out there, of course. There are many other drivers,” commented the Finn.

“But what I have seen how McLaren operates, they want to really look at the overall team package, you know, all the time.

“Because that's the only way to achieve success – is to build incredible team spirit power inside. And you try to sometimes, in my opinion, I would, if you would ask me what I would do, I would like to minimise that risk.

“That way you lose this kind of team spirit. You know, if the team has two great drivers, why rock the boat?”

Hakkinen’s observations come at a time when McLaren’s driver pairing has become one of the strongest combinations on the grid.

Norris and Piastri have been team-mates since 2023, developing a competitive but productive relationship that has helped McLaren challenge for championships.

The Finn believes that chemistry should not be underestimated.

Hakkinen draws on McLaren experience

Hakkinen made his comments during a conversation with former McLaren team-mate David Coulthard, with whom he shared a lengthy partnership during the team’s dominant period in the late 1990s.

That experience, according to Hakkinen, demonstrated the value of stability and trust between drivers.

“McLaren have a world champion [Norris],” he said. “And look, we were the longest team-mates in Formula 1.

“We were the longest teammates, and that indicates that if there's a good harmony inside in a team, why to have somebody else?”

For Hakkinen, Verstappen’s exceptional ability is not in question. Instead, his warning centres on whether adding another superstar would create more problems than solutions.

With McLaren already operating as a front-running force and Norris and Piastri providing a proven combination, the former champion believes the team should avoid making a dramatic change simply because an opportunity appears.

In his view, the hardest thing for a Formula 1 team to build is not just a fast car or a star driver line-up – it is the harmony that allows everything to work together.

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