Red Bull are keenly monitoring Oscar Piastri as they consider potential replacements for Max Verstappen, who may have the option to leave his McLaren contract this summer.
The F1 driver market hasn’t really got going yet this season, with most teams probably waiting to see if Verstappen will act on his threats to retire from Formula 1. There’s also a chance the four-time champion could just decide to leave Red Bull ahead of next season.
Verstappen has repeatedly voiced his frustration over the power units set to be introduced in 2026, even though Red Bull Powertrains is planning its own supply deal. The terms of his contract are also unclear regarding exit clauses and timing, leaving uncertainty about how secure his future at Red Bull really is.
Piastri could be allowed to exit McLaren deal if outside top five this summer
It’s reported that Verstappen will have a window between August and October to activate his release clause if he enters the summer break sitting outside the top two in the standings. Similarly, Piastri might also be able to break his McLaren deal early, depending on where he sits in the championship come F1’s 2026 summer break, which falls after the Hungarian Grand Prix from July 24-26.
Ralf Bach of F1-Insider reports that Red Bull are keen for Verstappen to remain with them for another season, but there are growing concerns within the team about his future plans. As a result, they’ve begun looking at other options and Piastri is high on their list should he become available.
Piastri’s contract with McLaren runs through to 2028, but it includes a clause that allows him to leave early if he is outside the top five in the drivers’ standings by the 2026 summer break. Currently sitting fifth, Piastri isn’t far ahead of some close competition.
Lando Norris is only two points behind him after six rounds. Even Max Verstappen, who had an early exit at Monaco last Sunday, remains within reach at just 17 points behind Piastri.
Red Bull see value in Piastri partly because of this potential release clause. It wouldn’t be out of the question for him to make a move away from Woking if Verstappen decides to leave Milton Keynes.
There have also been previous claims suggesting that Piastri can walk away from his deal if he believes McLaren are favouring Norris. These claims came up after accusations during the 2025 season that McLaren were backing Norris over other drivers.
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