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Mark Webber has dismissed reports Oscar Piastri could leave McLaren as ‘nonsense’ and ‘fiction’ amid ongoing Max Verstappen speculation.
Speculation over McLaren’s driver line-up intensified after reports suggested Max Verstappen’s management had explored informal discussions about a future move.
Separate claims also alleged Oscar Piastri could activate a contractual performance clause if he slipped outside the top five in the Formula One drivers’ championship by the mid-season break.
Piastri’s management quickly rejected suggestions the Australian had ‘signalled his desire’ to leave McLaren, with Webber now making it clear where both he and his driver stand.
‘Oscar is contracted to McLaren for the foreseeable future,’ the former Formula One star, who manages Piastri, told RACER.
‘Talk of him agitating to leave is nonsense.’
Oscar Piastri insisted he remains happy at McLaren despite persistent rumours surrounding his Formula One future
Fresh Formula One rumours linked Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to blockbuster team switch
Mark Webber rejected Oscar Piastri departure claims, calling recent reports nonsense and complete fiction
‘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 comments came after Piastri endured a frustrating British Grand Prix weekend, finishing seventh in the sprint before crossing the line 11th in the grand prix following an opening-lap collision with Liam Lawson.
The difficult result dropped the Melbourne driver to sixth in the standings, fuelling speculation that a reported contract clause could come into play.
However, Piastri himself has consistently maintained he has no intention of leaving the team.
‘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,’ he said during the British Grand Prix weekend.
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown has also repeatedly backed his current driver pairing of Piastri and Lando Norris, despite Verstappen’s name continuing to dominate the Formula One rumour mill.
‘They’re rumours,’ Brown said.
‘I’m very happy with my two racing drivers, Lando and Oscar.’
Zak Brown insisted McLaren’s current driver pairing remains unchanged despite growing Max Verstappen transfer speculation
‘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.’
The latest speculation gathered momentum after Brown was seen meeting Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, during the British Grand Prix weekend.
Both parties later insisted no negotiations had taken place, but the sighting reignited talk of a possible blockbuster driver shuffle.
The rumours have emerged as Red Bull continues to battle an increasingly difficult campaign.
Team principal Christian Horner has departed, legendary designer Adrian Newey has already moved on, and new boss Laurent Mekies has acknowledged Verstappen’s frustration with the team’s recent struggles.
Mekies insisted the reigning world champion wanted to remain with Red Bull but admitted the team must give him a competitive car.
Reports from ESPN and Dutch publication De Limburger have also claimed Verstappen has not guaranteed he will remain with Red Bull beyond 2026, with suggestions a sabbatical or even retirement have again been discussed.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Verstappen’s future, analysts have questioned whether a move to Red Bull would make sense for Piastri.
One recent assessment argued it would be a ‘dumb idea’, citing McLaren’s long-term stability, equal-driver philosophy and confidence that the team will return to championship contention despite a difficult start to the 2026 season.
The analysis also pointed to Red Bull’s internal upheaval following the departures of Horner and Newey, contrasting it with McLaren’s stable leadership and commitment to treating both drivers equally rather than operating with a clear No.1.
While Verstappen has enjoyed that status throughout his Red Bull career, McLaren has consistently maintained there is no hierarchy between Norris and Piastri.
Webber, who famously engineered Piastri’s high-profile departure from Alpine before his McLaren debut, has remained unwavering throughout the latest wave of speculation.
