Mark Webber has moved to shut down speculation that his driver, Oscar Piastri, is looking for a way out of McLaren, branding the reports as “nonsense.”
Piastri finished third in last year’s Drivers’ Championship, having spent the season locked in a battle with team-mate Lando Norris and eventual title winner Max Verstappen.
Talk of tension between the McLaren pairing was played down by Norris earlier this year, who suggested any apparent thaw in relations has more to do with neither driver currently fighting at the front than any genuine change in dynamic.
The rumour mill has been given fresh fuel, however, by Verstappen’s uncertain long-term future at Red Bull. A reported exit clause in his contract becomes active this summer, and reports have already linked the Dutchman with a possible switch to McLaren.
Motorsport Week and other outlets have reported this week that Verstappen has rebuffed attempts from Red Bull to buy out this apparent clause, and talks with the Woking-based squad has ramped-up.
Such an eventuality would leave Piastri the likely casualty, and a straight swap to Red Bull would be the likeliest outcome.
While both Norris and Piastri remain under contract at McLaren through 2027, it is Piastri who has faced the bulk of questions about whether his long-term future lies elsewhere.
Speaking to RACER, Webber sought to close down the narrative directly. “Oscar is contracted to McLaren for the foreseeable future,” he said. “Talk of him agitating to leave is nonsense.
“There has been a lot of fiction written about him and other teams. McLaren have repeatedly said they want him for the long term and Oscar is focused on that.”
Oscar Piastri: ‘I’m happy where I am’
Piastri himself addressed the speculation ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, making clear it was having little impact on his outlook.
“For me, it doesn’t mean much,” he told media, including Motorsport Week. “Obviously, Max is the talent that he is and he’s looking around. I’m very happy with where I am, and have been told multiple times that they’re happy with me, and I trust them.
“So for me, it doesn’t really mean much. I’ve also got a contract in place as well, so, for me, it doesn’t change anything. I’m just trying to build on the success of last season.”
The comments from both driver and manager suggest McLaren’s line-up stability is not under the same pressure as external reports have implied, even as the paddock continues to speculate over the ripple effects of a potential Verstappen move.
With Red Bull’s driver market situation still unresolved, Piastri’s own position looks set to remain a talking point regardless of how firmly those closest to him deny any unrest.
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