ELLA STEVENS & ELLA HAKKINEN Join McLaren’s Expanding Driver Development Program

January 8, 2026

• McLaren welcomed ELLA STEVENS and ELLA HAKKINEN to their driver development program as part of their 2025 expansion into junior talent acquisition, showing the team’s commitment to diversifying their pipeline beyond their established F1 lineup of Norris and Piastri.
• The signings come as McLaren strengthens their talent pool following their 2025 constructors’ and drivers’ championship double, with the team adding several promising drivers including the two women alongside Christian Costoya, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Richard Verschoor to their development ranks.
• While the article focuses heavily on Verschoor’s unconventional path to securing McLaren backing through a bold approach to CEO Zak Brown, the inclusion of STEVENS and HAKKINEN signals McLaren’s recognition that the future of motorsport requires casting a wider net for talent across all demographics.

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