Topics: Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Ferrari, Formula 1
Oscar Piastri has decided exactly when he will make the final decision regarding his future at McLaren amid links to Ferrari and Red Bull.
Following his stellar performances across the 2025 season, Piastri has established himself as one of the best drivers on the Formula One grid.
The Australian led the drivers' standings for the majority of the season, sitting atop the table for 189 of a possible 266 days, but was eventually displaced by teammate Lando Norris in October, later finishing the season in third.
Throughout the 2025 season, Piastri regularly made headlines as many fans argued that McLaren was showing preferential treatment to Norris, leading to rumours that the 24-year-old was considering leaving McLaren in the near future.
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With the 2026 season rapidly approaching, rumours surrounding Piastri's future haven't disappeared and it's now been claimed that the Australian had picked out when exactly he will make a decision about his future in the sport.
Before establishing himself as a true title contender, Piastri penned a a new long-term contract with McLaren in March last year, keeping him with the team until at least 2028.
Of course, driver contracts in Formula One typically contain clauses that allow them to move relatively freely and therefore it remains entirely possible that Piastri could leave McLaren whenever he wants to.
And according to a report from Italian outlet Automoto, that could come as soon as this year as Piastri has identified the middle of the 2026 season as the perfect time to sit down with manager Mark Webber to discuss his future at McLaren.
It is reported that both Piastri and Webber view mid-2026 as the perfect time to make a decision on his future as it will allow them to evaluate how McLaren and their rival teams adapt to F1’s new 2026 regulations.
Should Piastri decided that it would be best for him to leave McLaren and join another team in late 2026 or, more likely, ahead of the 2027 season, it's likely that he will have several options available to him.
However, it appears that Ferrari could be the frontrunners to sign Piastri next year, with the Australian believed to be high on Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur's ideal list of replacements should Charles Leclerc leave the team or Lewis Hamilton retire.
Another rumoured option for Piastri is Red Bull, a proposal that would no doubt look even better should star driver Max Verstappen decides to end his contract early thanks to a release clause that is believed to become easier to trigger over time.
As it stands, it is believed that the four-time champion could activate his release clause if he is not ranked in the top two in the F1 drivers’ standings this summer.
