Former McLaren world champion Mika Hakkinen has questioned why his old team would “rock the boat” by trying to sign Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Verstappen’s immediate future remains unclear -- he has an exit clause in his contract he can trigger in October should he want to race elsewhere in 2027.
Recent reports suggested McLaren CEO Zak Brown has been exploring a deal with Red Bull which would see a swap between Oscar Piastri and Verstappen -- Piastri’s manager Mark Webber has vehemently denied that his driver is looking for a way out of the team and dismissed the reports as false.
Piastri has been teammates with reigning world champion Lando Norris since 2023 and both have multiple years left on their existing McLaren contracts.
Hakkinen has said he believes a move for Verstappen would unsettle the title-winning operation Brown has put together.
“It’s very interesting, you know,” Hakkinen said while speaking with old McLaren teammate David Coulthard on the Up To Speed podcast.
“It’s not only Max out there, of course. There are many other drivers. But what I have seen, how McLaren operates, they want to really look at the overall team package all the time.
“And because that’s the only way to achieve success, [which] 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? And of course, McLaren having a world champion [Norris].”
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Hakkinen then referred back to his old partnership with Coulthard, and added: “And look, we were the longest teammates in Formula 1.We were the longest teammates, and that indicates that if there’s a good harmony inside in a team, why have somebody else?
“And well, you were sometimes difficult, David, but you know, I was able to handle it!”
Verstappen’s options for a top drive beyond Red Bull appear to be limited.
Mercedes was rumoured to be a landing spot for him last year, but sources have told ESPN the team will continue with championship leader Kimi Antonelli and George Russell into 2027 at least.
Ferrari has Lewis Hamilton signed on for another year, while Charles Leclerc recently signed an extension taking him beyond 2030.
