ELLA STEVENS & ELLA HAKKINEN Join McLaren Development Program Alongside F2 Champ

December 3, 2025

• McLaren welcomed ELLA STEVENS and ELLA HAKKINEN to their driver development program as part of a major talent recruitment push. Yes, that’s Mika Hakkinen’s daughter joining the ranks – because apparently excellence runs in the family. The papaya squad is clearly serious about building their junior pipeline, and having these two women in the mix shows they’re not just paying lip service to diversity.
• The timing of this announcement alongside F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli’s signing isn’t coincidental. McLaren is aggressively expanding their development program after watching other teams snatch up promising drivers. Chief Business Affairs Officer Alessandro Alunni Bravi emphasized their focus on “developing talent pipeline to provide options for all expanding racing teams” – which sounds like they finally learned from missing out on talent in previous seasons.
• What’s particularly encouraging is that McLaren is casting a wide net across different racing levels and backgrounds. While Fornaroli brings proven F2/F3 championship credentials, bringing in ELLA STEVENS and ELLA HAKKINEN alongside established male drivers suggests the team recognizes that future stars come from all corners of motorsport. This isn’t tokenism – it’s smart business in a sport that’s finally waking up to untapped talent pools.

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