Mika Hakkinen is right: McLaren already has a winning lineup in Norris and Piastri, with no compelling reason to pursue Verstappen.
Max Verstappen would improve almost any Formula 1 team. Even so, McLaren has no reason to chase him. We agree with Mika Hakkinen’s newly reported warning against unsettling the team, because signing the grid’s biggest name may cause more problems than it fixes.
McLaren already has the talent it needs
The results make the strongest case for keeping the current lineup. Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix by 15.080 seconds over Verstappen. Oscar Piastri has produced major results this season too, finishing second in Japan and sharing the Miami podium with Norris.
There is no driver deficit here. McLaren already has two racers who can capitalize on opportunities, without reshaping the operation around a new centerpiece.
Verstappen cannot guarantee control
Verstappen’s standing explains the speculation. His 2026 results also confirm that one driver cannot overcome every competitive weakness, regardless of his ability. He has reached the podium in Canada, Austria, Belgium and Hungary, while Mercedes has won eight of the opening 11 Grands Prix.
Kimi Antonelli has six victories, and George Russell has two. Norris, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have divided the remaining three. McLaren should focus on building a car that can consistently challenge Mercedes rather than viewing one superstar as a shortcut.
The internal cost could be substantial
A Verstappen deal would immediately change McLaren’s internal balance. Norris has spent years developing alongside the team. Piastri, meanwhile, has established himself as a front-line performer. Both would have every reason to expect equal equipment, fair strategy and a legitimate opportunity to lead.
Three elite drivers cannot share two cars. Replacing either incumbent would discard continuity, while potentially telling the remaining driver that McLaren’s faith goes only so far.
For a race-winning team, that cultural risk is unnecessary.
Stability does not mean lacking ambition
Formula 1 often treats recruitment as progress, but the boldest signing is not always the best decision. Performance rests on thousands of technical and operational choices outside the cockpit.
McLaren should direct its political capital, money and management attention toward giving Norris and Piastri a car capable of fighting Mercedes each weekend. Hakkinen’s argument carries weight because it backs the tougher and less glamorous path. McLaren should trust its structure, improve the machinery and give an excellent pairing time to mature.
Zandvoort provides the next test
The season resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 21-23, with Verstappen’s home race following Norris’s victory over him in Hungary.
That timing will fuel further speculation. McLaren should respond with clarity and results: its future belongs with Norris and Piastri, not a disruptive pursuit of Verstappen.
