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Mark Webber has moved firmly to cool speculation over Oscar Piastri’s Formula 1 future, dismissing reports that the Australian could be looking for a way out of McLaren amid wider uncertainty surrounding Max Verstappen.
Verstappen’s position has been one of the dominant talking points since the 2026 season began in Melbourne. Reports have claimed the four-time world champion is unhappy with the new F1 regulations, with that frustration said to have intensified as Red Bull endured a disappointing start to the campaign. For more on the wider Verstappen narrative, read our analysis of how Jenson Button sees Verstappen’s Red Bull future.
That backdrop has inevitably pulled McLaren into the centre of the driver-market conversation. Earlier this week, reports suggested Piastri was considering terminating his McLaren contract, a move that would theoretically allow the team to pursue Verstappen. Piastri has subsequently been linked with both Red Bull and Audi.
Speaking to RACER journalist Chris Medland, Webber rejected the idea that Piastri is attempting to leave McLaren, describing the rumours as fiction rather than a reflection of the driver’s position.
“Oscar is contracted to McLaren for the foreseeable future. Talk of him agitating to leave is nonsense.”
Webber added: “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.”
The intervention is significant because it comes at a point when McLaren’s competitive picture has become more complicated. Piastri has not yet reached the level he showed in 2025, while McLaren has struggled to match Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes so far this season.
As it stands, Piastri is sixth in the drivers’ championship on 82 points, 15 behind team-mate and reigning world champion Lando Norris. His British Grand Prix weekend underlined the current contrast inside McLaren, with Piastri finishing 11th at Silverstone while Norris came home fourth.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has already stated he is happy with the team’s current driver line-up. He has joked that he would sign Verstappen immediately, but only if McLaren had a third car available.
For now, Webber’s message is unambiguous: Piastri remains tied to McLaren, the team wants him long-term, and the Australian’s focus is on the programme in front of him. The 2026 season resumes next weekend at Spa-Francorchamps with the Belgian Grand Prix.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.