If anyone expected Oscar Piastri to clear a path for Max Verstappen at McLaren, Mark Webber has now shut down that theory. Piastri’s manager rejected claims that the Australian wants to leave and dismissed the latest speculation as nonsense.
His response supports everything Piastri and McLaren have said publicly. The driver remains under contract through at least the end of 2027. Team principal Andrea Stella continues to describe him as part of McLaren’s future, while Zak Brown insists the team has no Formula 1 vacancy.
Verstappen’s uncertain position at Red Bull has kept McLaren at the centre of the driver market. That does not make Piastri available. He won 7 Grands Prix in 2025, led the championship for much of the season and finished 3rd behind Lando Norris and Verstappen.
A difficult start to 2026 has raised questions about his form. It has not produced credible evidence that he wants to leave.
Piastri’s Contract Comes Before the Rumours
McLaren extended Piastri’s contract in March 2025, securing him until at least the end of 2027. Options may take the agreement beyond that date, but neither side has shown any public sign of tension.
Piastri repeated that position during the British Grand Prix weekend. He confirmed that he had a contract, said McLaren had reassured him several times and made clear that he remained happy with the team.
Recent reports went further than suggesting another team might admire Piastri. They claimed the driver and his management were searching for a route out. Webber answered that specific allegation without hesitation.
Webber dismissed the speculation in direct terms, saying, “Talk of him agitating to leave is nonsense.”
The wording matters. Webber did not leave room for negotiation or suggest that Piastri was considering alternatives. He rejected the central claim behind the story.
McLaren has adopted the same position. Brown has backed both Piastri and reigning champion Norris. When asked what he could offer Verstappen, Brown provided the clearest answer available. McLaren has no seat to offer him.
An IndyCar Announcement Sparked the Wrong Frenzy
The latest round of speculation accelerated on July 6 when McLaren teased a major driver announcement. Some observers immediately treated the message as evidence of an imminent Formula 1 change.
The announcement had nothing to do with Piastri, Norris or Verstappen. It concerned Arrow McLaren’s 2027 IndyCar lineup. Scott Dixon and Felix Rosenqvist will join Pato O’Ward, while Ryan Hunter Reay will represent the team at the Indianapolis 500.
McLaren sources also indicated that no separate Formula 1 driver announcement was planned.
The confusion revealed how unstable the wider driver market has become. Every McLaren message now attracts Verstappen theories because his future could reshape several teams at once. The Piastri exit claim lacks substance, but the anxiety surrounding Red Bull has a clear competitive foundation.
That distinction drives the entire story. Piastri has a contract and public support. Verstappen has a struggling car, a changing technical structure and legitimate reasons to assess his options.
Red Bull’s Problems Keep Verstappen in the Market
Red Bull sits 4th in the constructors’ standings with 128 points, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. Verstappen occupies 7th place in the drivers’ championship with 76 points after 9 Grands Prix.
The RB22 has lacked the pace and consistency required to challenge Mercedes at the front. Its narrow operating window has also made performance harder to sustain across different circuits and conditions.
Those results ensure that Verstappen’s future will remain a major paddock issue. Red Bull must convince him that it can recover under the new regulations before rival teams can present a stronger sporting case.
The team also faces another significant departure. Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer throughout his 4 championship victories, will join McLaren after his Red Bull contract expires in 2027.
That move is confirmed rather than speculative. McLaren expects Lambiase to enter its senior racing structure in 2028 unless both teams agree on an earlier release.
His departure increases the pressure on Red Bull, but it does not prove that Verstappen will follow him. McLaren recruited an experienced racing leader. It did not announce a new driver, and Brown continues to support his existing lineup.
Piastri’s Record Outweighs 9 Difficult Races
Piastri has not matched his 2025 level this season. He sits 6th with 82 points, 15 behind Norris, after finishing 11th at Silverstone. Contact on Lap 1 damaged his front wing and forced an early stop, removing any realistic chance of scoring points.
Those 9 races should not erase the progress that came before them.
Piastri won 7 Grands Prix in 2025, secured 16 podiums and scored 410 points. He controlled the Chinese Grand Prix from pole, beat Verstappen in direct battles in Saudi Arabia and Miami, and completed a Grand Slam at Zandvoort.
Those performances demonstrated race management, tyre control and composure under pressure. They also proved that Piastri can compete with the strongest drivers on the grid when McLaren gives him a capable car.
Replacing a 25-year-old title contender would carry a huge sporting cost. McLaren developed Piastri inside its system, helped turn him into a regular winner and now has him entering the strongest years of his career.
Verstappen may remain the benchmark, but removing Piastri would not represent a simple upgrade. It would mean sacrificing a proven winner while creating major contractual and competitive complications.
McLaren Needs a Faster Car, Not a Different Driver
The MCL40 has become McLaren’s biggest weakness. At Silverstone, Stella placed the deficit to Ferrari and Mercedes at roughly 0.5 seconds. Norris traced the loss to a weak grip and insufficient downforce, especially through the circuit’s fastest corners.
That pace gap explains McLaren’s decline more clearly than any driver market theory.
The new regulations have also increased the technical challenge. Every 2026 car must fit within a maximum wheelbase of 3400 mm, which is 200 mm shorter than the previous generation. The narrower floor and lower overall downforce place even greater pressure on teams to control airflow and maintain a stable aerodynamic platform.
Within those restrictions, McLaren has struggled to balance peak downforce with consistent grip. The MCL40 can produce competitive performance in certain conditions, but it has not maintained that level across different corner speeds.
McLaren has already redirected parts of its aerodynamic programme. Hungary should provide the first major test of that work.
The Hungaroring rewards sustained downforce, front axle confidence and clean traction from slow corners. Any revised floor or bodywork package must give Norris and Piastri greater stability through long sequences of direction changes. It must also improve grip without creating excessive drag or narrowing the car’s operating window further.
Further upgrades should follow after the summer break, but the standings expose the scale of the task. McLaren sits 3rd in the constructors’ championship with 179 points, 154 behind Mercedes.
Piastri is not wasting a dominant car while Norris wins every weekend. Both drivers are fighting the same aerodynamic limitations and trying to extract speed from an MCL40 that cannot consistently match the leading teams.
Pundits will continue linking Verstappen with McLaren while Red Bull remains off the pace. That discussion has enough sporting logic to survive. The claim that Piastri wants to leave does not.
McLaren already has a contracted young star, a proven Grand Prix winner and a driver who challenged for the 2025 championship. Replacing him would not cure the MCL40’s weaknesses.
More grip, stronger downforce and a successful Hungary upgrade might.
READ MORE: Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Ultimatum: Fix the Car or Lose the Champion
FAQs
Is Oscar Piastri leaving McLaren?
No. Webber rejected the exit claims, while Piastri says he remains happy and under contract with McLaren.
How long is Oscar Piastri’s McLaren contract?
His current deal runs until at least the end of 2027 and may include options beyond that point.
Could Max Verstappen replace Piastri at McLaren?
McLaren says it has no Formula 1 seat available. Both Piastri and Norris remain on multiyear agreements.
Why are Verstappen and McLaren being linked?
Red Bull’s poor 2026 form and Lambiase’s confirmed McLaren move have kept Verstappen’s future at the centre of the driver market.
What does McLaren need to improve on the MCL40?
McLaren needs more grip, downforce and aerodynamic stability. The team expects Hungary to show the first results of its redirected upgrade programme.
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