Will Oscar Piastri Really Walk Away From McLaren?
Oscar Piastri is locked in at McLaren on paper, but growing title ambitions and paddock politics are already testing how long that partnership will last.
McLaren moved early to secure its future around Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, repeatedly underlining that commitment. Piastri first signed a multi-year extension guaranteeing him a seat through 2026. That deal has since been strengthened, tying him to Woking until at least 2027 and potentially 2028, depending on options buried in the fine print.
Team principal Andrea Stella has described the Australian as central to McLaren’s long-term vision, and the team has backed that stance with car development that turned the MCL60 and its successors into serial race winners. In contractual terms, any move before 2027 would require a buyout or a rupture on the scale of the Alpine saga that brought Piastri to McLaren in the first place.
Why the Exit Rumours Will Not Go Away
Despite that security, speculation continues. Piastri’s near miss in the 2025 title fight behind champion Norris fed narratives about internal tension, especially after flashpoints like Singapore, where contact between the two McLaren drivers and frustrated radio messages drew scrutiny.
Reports in European media and F1 pundit circles have linked him to Ferrari or Red Bull from 2027 onward, with some suggesting rival teams are amplifying the noise to destabilise McLaren. Rumors intensified after claims that McLaren is quietly assessing fallback options should Piastri push for an early exit once key clauses become active at the end of 2026.
Best Place to Win or Time to Bet on Himself
On track, the case for staying is strong. McLaren has won almost every Grand Prix in 2025, aside from occasional Red Bull interruptions, and Stella has highlighted how much Piastri has evolved into a consistent front-runner now tipped by many in the paddock as a future world champion.
The flip side is that top talents often weigh whether they want to spend their prime as the number two in a team built culturally around another star. If Piastri believes his clearest path to multiple titles lies in becoming the undisputed leader elsewhere, interest from Ferrari, Red Bull, or even a manufacturer project will be hard to ignore once his current deal winds down.
