Oscar Piastri has played down talk linking him with Red Bull, saying there have been no discussions and that the speculation is flattering as rumours swirl around Max Verstappen’s long-term future. The 25-year-old made the comments ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, where he also said he is very happy at McLaren.
The timing matters because the chatter about Piastri has grown in recent weeks, with one report saying he has become Red Bull’s leading target if Verstappen leaves the team for 2027. Piastri, who signed a long-term extension with McLaren ahead of the 2025 season, said the talk was more a sign of his standing than a sign of movement, adding that it hopefully proves his stock as a driver.
Piastri’s remarks come as he continues to form one of the strongest pairings on the grid with reigning world champion Lando Norris. McLaren chief executive Zak Brown made clear the team would rather build a place people want to stay than lean on contracts alone, saying he would imagine there is not a team on the grid that would not want Piastri and Norris in its garage. Brown said McLaren’s job is to create an environment where drivers, mechanics, employees and sponsors do not want to go elsewhere, and described his dream as having two world champions in the team at the same time.
That is the tension behind the Red Bull chatter. Piastri is tied to McLaren on a long-term deal, yet his name has been pulled into a wider discussion about Verstappen’s future and what Red Bull might do if its own plans change. The speculation has also revived memory of Christian Horner’s old regret, which left Piastri in the Red Bull frame even as he continues to race for McLaren.
For now, the Australian’s answer is simple: there has been no approach, no talks and no sign he wants to leave. McLaren, meanwhile, is making a public case that the best way to keep a driver like Piastri is not to hold him with paper, but to give him a team he would choose again.
Christian Horner’s old regret puts Oscar Piastri back in Red Bull frame
