Oscar Piastri-McLaren tension deepens amid new revelations

Questions about Oscar Piastri’s long-term future at McLaren are intensifying as courtroom testimony and fresh paddock speculation reignite doubts over how the Australian’s signing was handled and how stable his position now is.

In last week’s London High Court hearings, IndyCar champion Alex Palou claimed McLaren chief executive Zak Brown privately admitted he had not wanted Piastri in the first place.

“I went for dinner with Zak at Beaverbrook near MTC,” Palou testified. “Zak told me it was not his decision to hire Oscar. He said it was the decision of the (former) team manager, Andreas Seidl.”

The comments come as McLaren celebrates another constructors’ title but faces rising internal tension between its two championship contenders, Piastri and Lando Norris, following their wheel-to-wheel clash in Singapore. F1 legend Mario Andretti, speaking at Italy’s Festival dello Sport, suggested Piastri’s challenge at McLaren may extend far beyond driving.

“I like Piastri for his grit, but it seems to me that at McLaren, for some reason – I don't know why – they favour Lando Norris,” said the 1978 world champion.

Behind the scenes, Piastri’s manager Mark Webber is reportedly losing patience. According to Sky Deutschland pundit Ralf Schumacher, Webber has started sounding out other opportunities. “You can tell from his expressions that he's not happy,” Schumacher said.

“He's incredibly suspicious after what he went through himself. He always feels his driver should be treated as number one, and that's now partly in Piastri's head as well.”

Colombian great Juan Pablo Montoya told AS Colombia he also senses growing strain. “There are rumours going around that Piastri is hysterical, that they're already looking at options to go to Ferrari,” he said.

“People are talking a lot, and I'm sure it's meant to put pressure on McLaren. Every team has favourites – and the one who's been there the longest is Lando.”

Montoya added that Piastri’s frustration was visible during the Singapore podium celebrations. “He was definitely angry about what happened, and Webber has to be careful not to add fuel to the fire. You can't just quit because things aren't going your way,” said the former McLaren driver. Schumacher even hinted that Piastri could be on several teams’ lists for the post-2026 era.

“If Max Verstappen leaves, he could drive a Red Bull,” he said. “There were already discussions between Mark Webber and Red Bull. But such a driver could find a place anywhere, even Aston Martin.”

1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve meanwhile believes McLaren’s internal battle could ultimately hand the lead of the drivers' title back to Verstappen. “The two McLarens are suffering too much under the pressure,” he said. “They need to wake up.”