McLaren has the reigning world champion in Lando Norris and a talented Oscar Piastri by his side, but according to some insiders, the team is facing a problem they don’t even realize they have—they’ve become a little too predictable.
Norris proved his elite form with a dominant win at the Hungarian Grand Prix before the summer break, cementing his status as the defending champ. Piastri, meanwhile, has shown flashes of brilliance despite his 2025 title hopes fading. Team boss Andrea Stella insists there’s no lingering tension from last season’s internal championship battle.
So what’s the real issue? It’s not the drivers or their relationship. It’s that McLaren, for all its legendary history, has reportedly lost some of its spark.
Think James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton—this is a brand built on 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒶 and dominance. Yet right now, other stories are stealing the spotlight.
Fans are buzzing about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Max Verstappen’s uncertain future at Red Bull, and Mercedes’ rising star Kimi Antonelli. Even Aston Martin, with just one point this season, is generating more chatter thanks to Adrian Newey and Fernando Alonso. McLaren, despite being champions, feels like the quiet kid in the room.
The fix, according to some observers, could be simple: convince Verstappen to trigger his exit clause and join McLaren for 2027. The team has already reportedly secured his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, for 2028. But here’s the catch—McLaren would have to make the ruthless call to drop either Norris or Piastri.
That’s a move that clashes with the team’s “papaya rules” philosophy of equal treatment. Verstappen, as the sport’s top driver, reportedly demands a car built entirely around him. McLaren, comfortable with their stable lineup, seems hesitant to rock the boat.
They’re like Ned Flanders from The Simpsons—steady, likable, but missing that edge. Bringing in Verstappen would instantly make them the most talked-about team in F1, with massive commercial upside. But for now, McLaren reportedly prefers to keep playing happy families.
Is playing it safe the wrong move for a team with 23 world championships?
