Red Bull Identifies Oscar Piastri as Preferred Fallback if Verstappen Departs

Red Bull Racing has identified Oscar Piastri as its preferred replacement for Max Verstappen should the four-time Formula 1 world champion leave the team, Motorsport.com understands.

Why Red Bull Is Planning Ahead

While the team continues to invest in Isack Hadjar, the young driver is not yet viewed as someone capable of carrying the project alone. This reality explains why Red Bull has looked externally and why Piastri has emerged as the standout option.

Mark Webber’s Reduced Presence

An intriguing subplot sits in the background. Mark Webber’s absence from the Bahrain pre-season test did not go unnoticed. This season, Piastri has chosen to work closely with Pedro Matos, his former Formula 2 engineer at Prema, rather than maintaining Webber’s constant trackside presence.

The decision reflects a conscious effort to streamline communication and reduce internal friction. Piastri himself opted to remove Webber from his regular garage entourage, a move that has restored calm within McLaren’s working environment.

The results have been tangible. Podium finishes in Japan and Miami followed what had been an unfortunate start to the season, while Piastri’s relationship with the team appears free of any lingering tension from the closing phases of last year.

At the same time, Webber may already be exploring alternative pathways. Renewed dialogue with Red Bull, a team with which he has deep historical ties, would not come as a surprise.

A Broader Strategic Shift at Red Bull

To understand Red Bull’s thinking, it is necessary to consider a wider transformation inside the team. Helmut Marko’s exit has brought an end to a philosophy that shaped Red Bull Racing for more than two decades.

Under that model, Red Bull consistently paired a proven leader with talent developed internally — a structure that supported eras led by Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, and Max Verstappen.

The recruitment of Sergio Perez, driven by circumstance rather than long-term planning, already represented a break from that tradition. Now, with Mekies in charge, Red Bull appears to be embracing a more flexible, market-driven approach.

Within that framework, Piastri stands out: young, composed, highly competitive, and still carrying untapped potential.

Could a Piastri–Verstappen Swap Happen?

At McLaren, the message remains guarded. Piastri is under contract until 2027, placing the Woking-based team in a position of strength. Yet Formula 1 history has repeatedly shown that contracts are rarely immovable once a driver’s intentions become clear.

Should such a situation arise, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown would be central to negotiations, aiming to convert a challenging scenario into a significant financial opportunity.

One theoretical outcome would be a direct swap — Piastri to Red Bull, Verstappen to McLaren. However, there is currently no evidence that McLaren has any interest in pursuing Verstappen. Moreover, Verstappen’s frustrations have been aimed at Formula 1’s new technical regulations, rather than at the competitive direction of any single team.

For now, Red Bull’s interest in Piastri remains a contingency plan — but one that underlines just how seriously the team is preparing for every possible future.