McLaren shut down Oscar Piastri Red Bull talk

McLaren have moved quickly to shut down speculation linking Oscar Piastri with Red Bull, with team principal Andrea Stella calling it “silly season” and making clear in Montreal that the team wants “maximum stability” around a driver line-up that includes a “happy” Piastri.

Andrea Stella, McLaren team principal, said in his media session at the Canadian Grand Prix that the rumours reflected the annual churn of the market rather than any shift in McLaren’s plans. “I think the reaction is in your question - you mentioned the silly season, and I think we are already fully in this silly season,” Stella said. “When we think about Oscar, we couldn’t be happier. I think we are seeing the best Oscar in the cockpit and also a happy Oscar, and the best version of himself outside the cockpit. Great dynamics and relationship with Lando. I think the team is in its strongest shape since I’ve been team principal. So definitely it’s very clear, the direction for maximum stability at McLaren.”

Piastri struck the same tone when asked in Canada about Red Bull’s reported interest. “It is news to me, yes. There's obviously not been any discussions or anything but it's flattering, yes,” he said. He then made his own position plain, saying he is “very happy” at McLaren, has “a lot of confidence” the team can “win races and hopefully championships in the future,” and adding: “I've got a good relationship with McLaren, so why change?”

The speculation has been driven by reports that Red Bull see Piastri as a Plan B if Max Verstappen leaves. Verstappen is under contract through the end of 2028, but his future has become a live talking point because of performance clauses in that deal and his dissatisfaction with Formula 1’s new regulations and the direction of the 2027 power-unit rules.

That is why Piastri’s name has entered the conversation, but McLaren’s position is strengthened by the fact he is also tied down through the end of 2028. That long-term deal fits with the picture both Piastri and Stella painted in Canada: not a driver looking for an exit, but one embedded in McLaren’s longer-term project.

Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, has also made clear the team is not surprised rivals would want either of its drivers. Speaking to The Athletic, Brown said: “I would imagine there's not a team on the grid that wouldn't want to have Oscar and Lando driving for them.” He said McLaren’s job is to create “an environment where our drivers don't want to drive anywhere else,” a stance that underlines why the team’s reaction has been so firm as Red Bull’s contingency planning fuels the market around Verstappen’s future.