Stella emphatically denies Piastri departure rumours: 'We couldn't be happier'

Stella shuts down silly season speculation

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has moved decisively to quash reports that Oscar Piastri could leave the team, insisting the Australian driver is not going anywhere and that the Woking outfit is in the strongest shape it has been since Stella took charge.

Despite being tied to McLaren on a contract running until the end of 2028, Piastri has been repeatedly linked with a move to Red Bull, with his name surfacing as a potential successor to Max Verstappen should the four-time world champion decide to depart. Stella, however, was having none of it.

"You mentioned the silly season, and I think we are already fully in this silly season," Stella told media, including Motorsport Week. "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."

Stella went further, highlighting the harmony that exists between Piastri and teammate Lando Norris as a key pillar of McLaren's current strength. "Great dynamics and relationship with Lando, and 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."

Stella also reaffirms his own commitment

Beyond defending Piastri's future at the team, Stella also took the opportunity to address speculation surrounding his own position, with rumours of a potential return to Ferrari continuing to circulate in the paddock. It is not the first time the Italian has been called upon to clarify his stance — Stella recently dismissed speculation around Gianpiero Lambiase's role and the wider leadership structure at McLaren, reinforcing the image of a team focused squarely on the road ahead.

"When it comes to myself, I'm definitely fully committed to McLaren," he said. "One of the things that makes me more proud of my experience as a team principal is that we managed to fill the cabinet at MTC with trophies, and this meant that we needed to create another area of the cabinet, a new one. And for me the mission is very clear: we need to fill that new area of the cabinet for the years to come at McLaren."

The cost of success

Stella's comments come at a pivotal moment for McLaren. The team has built something rare in Formula 1 — a genuinely cohesive, high-performing unit with two drivers capable of winning races and a leadership group that appears fully aligned. In that sense, McLaren finds itself in a position not unlike the one Red Bull occupied during its dominant years: a dream team that has tasted success and is now a target for rivals looking to poach its key assets.

That level of success, however, carries its own pressures. The stronger a team becomes, the harder rival outfits will work to dismantle it — whether through the boardroom or the transfer market. For now, Stella's message is unambiguous: McLaren's nucleus is not for sale, and the team's direction is one of maximum stability.