Despite enduring an inconsistent 2026 campaign, Oscar Piastri is still proving he is one of the best drivers in Formula 1.
After failing to start the opening two grand prix of the year, the Australian has rallied to be fourth in the drivers’ championship after eight rounds — the highest-placed driver not to win a grand prix so far.
But F1’s rumour mill has been in overdrive in recent times about his future at McLaren, with his boss having to hose down suggestions the Australian will be driving anything other than a Papaya-coloured F1 car in 2027.
Here is a breakdown of Piastri’s contract situation, and why many are asking about his future with McLaren.
How long is Oscar Piastri contracted with McLaren?
Oscar Piastri joined McLaren for the start of the 2023 season and impressed immediately. Midway through that season the Australian signed an extension with the team until the end of 2026.
Piastri continued to impress as McLaren rose to become constructors’ champions, with McLaren offering him a multi-year contract extension in 2025, which would keep the Melburnian at McLaren “for the long term”.
At the time, McLaren did not specify exactly how long the extension was. But a multi-year extension means Piastri is contracted to McLaren until at least the end of 2028.
At McLaren, Piastri has proven to be one of the best drivers in F1.
He has won nine grands prix and led the drivers’ championship for most of last season before a slump in form denied him the title.
This season has been less positive for Piastri and McLaren as they try to find their groove in the new era of regulations.
Despite McLaren not having a car which consistently battles at the front of the grid, Piastri has two podium placings and has finished in the top five in each of the previous three grands prix.
Piastri is fourth in the drivers’ championship after eight rounds on 80 points, just one point ahead of teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The only drivers ahead of Piastri so far this season are those who have won a grand prix — Kimi Antonelli (171), George Russell (131) and Lewis Hamilton (125).
Why is there speculation Max Verstappen could move to McLaren?
The future of Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen has been a hot topic of discussion all season.
The Dutchman was an outspoken critic of the new power units in F1, which initially promised a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power
So disillusioned was Verstappen that he voiced his willingness to walk away from F1.
Since then, the power unit rules have been tweaked to use more internal combustion power, while FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem declared that the sport will go back to V8 engines in the next regulation cycle.
Now, Verstappen’s future is rumoured to remain in F1, but for which team is the major talking point.
Verstappen has spent his entire career within the Red Bull family, debuting for Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) in 2015 as a 17-year-old, before moving to Red Bull Racing mid-way through the 2016 season and winning his first race with the team.
But Red Bull has endured an exodus of key personnel over the previous three seasons, with Verstappen constantly rumoured or speculated to be considering a move.
McLaren has been one of the teams at the centre of this speculation, spurred on by the announcement of Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, moving to the Papaya team in 2028.
Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, but it has been widely reported that his contract may include a clause allowing him to seek a new team if he is not placed in the top two of the drivers’ championship standings at the mid-year break in August.
Verstappen currently sits seventh in the drivers’ championship, 52 points adrift of George Russell in second, but is coming off his best weekend of the season where he placed second in Austria after Red Bull brought a car with significant upgrades.
What have McLaren and Red Bull said about this speculation?
Unsurprisingly, both McLaren and Red Bull have tried to hose down any suggestion of their driver line-ups being altered in the near future.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies have both tried to hose down speculation around their driver line-ups. (Getty Images: NurPhoto/Ahmad AlShehab)
McLaren boss Zak Brown was asked ahead of last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix about the prospect of moving on Piastri or Norris.
“I’d be very surprised if Lando (Norris) or Oscar (Piastri) went elsewhere because they’re very happy,” Brown told Sky Sports.
“You know, of course we’ve got contracts but contracts aside, we’re very happy with them (the two drivers), they’re very happy here.”
Brown did say his team would be open to having Verstappen if “for some strange reason, someone slipped on a banana peel getting out of the tub”.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies was also questioned last weekend about Verstappen’s future with the team.
Mekies told reporters the Dutchman “has made clear” he wants to remain at Red Bull.
“Max has made clear to us that he wants to continue with the team. It’s equally clear that he needs a fast car for him to be happy with the team.
“As I said a few weeks ago, we’re not asking Max every week. He’s pushing with us, he’s helping us to find the right development path for the car.
“It’s not a topic for us. The topic for us is to get the car back to where we want it to be.”
When is the F1 British Grand Prix?
Round nine of this year’s Formula 1 championship will be held at Silverstone in England.
There will be a sprint race and a grand prix on this weekend for drivers to compete in.
Piastri was denied victory in a wet race last year due to a contentious penalty for driving dangerously under the safety car.
Here is when racing begins this weekend in each state and territory:
SPRINT RACE
Saturday, July 4
- 9pm: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania
- 8:30pm: South Australia, Northern Territory
- 7pm: Western Australia
GRAND PRIX
Sunday, July 5
- 12am (July 6): NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ACT, Tasmania
- 11:30pm: South Australia, Northern Territory
- 10pm: Western Australia
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