Max Verstappen and McLaren – the new orange alliance?

So, Max Verstappen could be heading to McLaren for the 2027 Formula 1 season. This is a bit of a shock to the system for many in the paddock. And yet, it really shouldn’t be. It actually, when you think about it makes complete sense.

Now I know there will be fans reading this dismissively, going, “Why would he go to a team which is in decline?” or “Max is Red Bull through and through, he’s betraying them!” But there is more to this story than meets the eye.

Let’s start with what we know so far. Secret talks are underway, and while the stage of the negotiations is unknown, the target appears to be for Max to be in papaya for 2027, indicating the situation is moving quickly.

The plan, should this come off, is for a straight swap with Red Bull for Oscar Piastri. Norris, instead of racing against the Australian, would then be up against the driver he spectacularly lost the championship to back in 2024. It’s a bit like discovering the bully who put your head down the toilet in secondary school is suddenly your co-worker who is in line for the same promotion at work.

The rather visceral image of this aside, it raises questions over Norris’ long-term future at McLaren. Verstappen is a ruthless teammate and has, so far, destroyed the careers of five teammates since 2019, all of whom had to undergo extensive rebuilding or faded completely into obscurity. While this is a bit of a melodramatic statement, questions will inevitably be asked on whether Norris can handle the pressure of having Verstappen alongside him across the garage.

But why is this move even hypothetically on the cards? Well, it comes down to many factors that are likely influencing the four-time world champion,

Shadows of the past – and a similar result

Back in 1996, Michael Schumacher had left Benetton for Ferrari. But not content with just going to the team, he also wanted his elite team at Benetton around him. So he brought Ross Brawn, among others, to the team to transform its fortunes. By 1997, Benetton had entered a decline it would never recover from as a result of losing so many of its top team.

While this has not transpired at Red Bull, the team is in the midst of a brain drain, with high-profile figures leaving over the last four years. Rob Marshall, Will Courtenay, Jonathan Wheatley, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey are all just some of the high-profile casualties.

But the latest, and perhaps most notable, is Gianpiero Lambiase, who will depart for McLaren by the end of 2028 at the latest, though his departure date has yet to be fully confirmed. Once he departs, the last trace of the “dream team” that dominated F1 at the start of the ground-effect era will have been washed away into the annals of history. In short, Red Bull is far from the team that he enjoyed so much success with.

As has been written extensively, Lambiase has worked with Verstappen since the Dutchman arrived at Red Bull in 2016 and is one of the main pillars he has relied on throughout his tenure. Such is their relationship, Lambiase spoke to Verstappen prior to taking the role to tell him he was leaving. This indicates a level of respect that goes beyond a simple colleague relationship, which, as a statement, although basic, accurately describes the complex relationship between driver and race engineer.

He has been scooped up by McLaren for a leadership role, with the eventual role of Team Principal supposedly being explored, though McLaren has firmly denied this. But the idea of joining a longtime trusted colleague intrinsically linked and synonymous with his success is a logical mindset for Verstappen to potentially. By joining McLaren with Lambiase, he would also be reunited with many other former Red Bull alumni, a very appealing-sounding option.

A personality clash?

Now lets get to the elephant in the room. McLaren and Verstappen are two completely contrasting characters in terms of operations. McLaren has always had quite a corporate image, one it has never managed to truly shake off.

Whilst we’re not quite at the levels seen in the 2000s and 2010s, when everything was a uniform grey, and media updates were full of the now-infamous “Ron speak” (in reference to ex-Team Principal Ron Dennis’s immensely complex answers), it is still run quite formally. Its PR machine is powerful, and drivers are well-trained in the art of interviews.

Let’s juxtapose that with Verstappen, who is outspoken, blunt and can turn the air bluer than a teenage boy out with their friends and away from the prying eyes of their parents. Verstappen will never change his mentality here. He comes as is and will not change how he works for anyone or any team. If McLaren wants to sign the Dutchman, they will need to work around this, not try to enact change. McLaren has done this before of course, with Juan Pablo Montoya in the early 2000s, and we all remember how that turned out…

But Verstappen will face his own trials if he moves to Woking. McLaren is proud that it treats both its drivers equally, even at the risk of losing a world championship. Like Verstappen’s unapologetic attitude out of the car, McLaren will never deviate from this mentality, presenting the Dutchman with a conundrum.

He is used to dominating teammates and being the clear leader, but will come up against barriers at McLaren if he believes he will be the de facto team leader. McLaren is built around Norris, and integration at McLaren would take time.

The Norris factor

My rather unpleasant anecdote about Verstappen and Norris aside, this potential move would test Norris like never before. The reigning champion has rarely come off better during duels with Verstappen, and it remains a blight on his record. The prospect of having him next door in the same garage could well be an unpleasant prospect.
The two are good friends, but this disappears during racing, particularly when a world championship is on the line.

As Norris discovered in 2024, Verstappen gives no quarter during a fight. The Briton transformed in 2025 and became a more complete driver as a result of the experience, pushed through the growing pains of a first championship run, a difficult time for any driver.

But could the two be harmonious at McLaren? The short answer is yes. The team is in a very different situation from a year ago, and needs its drivers to work together to drive the car forward. Norris has famously been friendly with two of his former teammates, [Carlos Sainz and Daniel Riccardo, while he and Piastri are also on good terms], with Verstappen offering a different kind of opportunity.

Verstappen to McLaren is a mouthwatering prospect, and despite their obvious differences in working styles, it makes absolute sense. Those old enough to draw comparisons between this potential deal and Nigel Mansell’s disastrous 1995 move to McLaren from Williams are far from the mark. Rather than an orange mess, this has all the hallmarks of being a new orange alliance. Dutch fans will also be pleased that they can still bring their flags to races.

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