Australian Formula One driver Oscar Piastri remains fully committed to McLaren despite renewed speculation linking four-time world champion Max Verstappen with a move to the British team, according to his manager, former Formula One driver Mark Webber.
Speaking to RACER, Webber rejected suggestions that Piastri could leave McLaren, where he is under a multi-year contract.
“Oscar is contracted to McLaren for the foreseeable future,” Webber said. “Talk of him agitating to leave is nonsense.”
The comments follow recent reports suggesting Verstappen’s management had held informal discussions exploring a possible future with McLaren. The speculation came months after rumors of a potential driver swap involving Verstappen and Piastri—a scenario McLaren team principal Andrea Stella previously dismissed.
Piastri also sought to put the speculation to rest during last weekend’s British Grand Prix.
“I’ve got a contract in place, multiple reassurances that the team are very happy with me and I’m very happy with the team,” the Australian said.
Webber criticized what he described as unfounded speculation surrounding Piastri’s future.
“There has been a lot of fiction written about him and other teams,” he said. “McLaren have repeatedly said they want him for the long term and Oscar is focused on that.”
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown likewise dismissed reports linking Verstappen with the team, saying he remains satisfied with the team’s current driver lineup of Piastri and British driver Lando Norris.
“They’re rumors,” Brown said. “I’m very happy with my two racing drivers, Lando and Oscar.”
Brown acknowledged that Verstappen’s name naturally attracts attention across the paddock, given the Dutchman’s success in Formula One.
“I think anytime a name like Max is thrown around, people get pretty excited—a four-time world champion—but I’m very happy with our driver line-up," he added.
