McLaren urged ‘don’t rock the boat’ amid Max Verstappen 2027 F1 links

Formula 1 legend Mika Hakkinen has urged McLaren to “minimise” any risk to its team harmony and retain its current drivers instead of signing Max Verstappen for 2027.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen’s future has been a topic of intense speculation from the early stages of the 2026 campaign, amid his displeasure at the current rules.

That, coupled with a performance clause in his current Red Bull deal, has led to rumours that he could be on the move for 2027.

In recent weeks, those links have centred on a potential move to McLaren.

However, Verstappen’s manager has shot down these rumours, claiming that the Dutchman will see out his contract with Red Bull, which runs to the end of 2028.

BILD has also reported that Red Bull has offered Verstappen a new deal through to the end of 2029, which would remove the performance clause from his contract.

“Why rock the boat?”

Both of McLaren’s current drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, are under contract for 2027, so any Verstappen deal would have to come at the expense of one of them.

However, speaking in the Up to Speed podcast with former McLaren team-mate David Coulthard, Hakkinen doesn’t believe McLaren should “rock the boat” by bringing a driver like Verstappen into its fold.

“It’s very interesting, you know,” the Finn, who won F1 world titles in 1998 and 1999, said.

“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 [in its line-up with Norris].

“And look, we [Hakkinen and Coulthard] were the longest team-mates in Formula 1.

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

“And well, you were sometimes difficult, David, but you know, I was able to handle it!”