It seems slightly strange to be discussing a potential move for Oscar Piastri when he’s currently leading this year’s Driver’s Championship. However, recent on-track events have led some to believe he isn’t pleased with McLaren’s approach to ‘fairness,’ and that he might even jump ship.
The team’s much-discussed, and sometimes ridiculed, ‘Papaya Rules’ cover three basic principles: do what’s best for the team, don’t crash into each other, and ensure both drivers have a level playing field. There’s only one problem with such lofty goals: Formula 1 is a competitive sport, drivers are some of the most competitive animals on the planet, and they usually aren’t thinking, “No, after you, I insist.”
That’s the backdrop of what happened in both Italy and Singapore, which, to varying degrees, led Piastri to complain that the ‘rules’ were not being applied fairly. In the first situation, he was asked to give a position back to Lando Norris following a botched pit-stop for the latter. In the second, he expected the favor to be returned after Norris made contact while passing. McLaren disagreed.
This piece isn’t going to go down the rabbit hole of whether those calls were right or fair. Rather, it aims to discuss some of the rumors that have popped up as a result. Namely, that Piastri now believes McLaren favors its British driver, and that he might be looking elsewhere.
A switch with Charles Leclerc in 2027 was one of the suggestions making the rounds. But, since we’re here, why stop at Ferrari? Let’s go all out and look at all the Australian’s options, focusing mainly on other top teams that might be interested in his talent.
Ferrari – Really?
As mentioned, several outlets have been reporting a possible switch with Leclerc in 2027. Both drivers have reason to be unhappy with their team right now. So, bish bash bosh, maybe they’ll swap teams? While it’s a convenient way to cram two stories into one, it only takes a few moments of thought to pick out the problems with such a suggestion.
Sure, Leclerc is probably getting annoyed with the comedy of errors at Ferrari. It’s a fair assumption to think that he might at least be thinking about his options. But, why would Oscar want to take Leclerc’s place? Piastri’s stock as a driver has only risen in the past year, and Ferrari has the unenviable reputation of being a “bad career choice” – just ask Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel.
On the flip side, we have sweeping new regulations in 2026. So, what if Ferrari gets it right and they’re dominating? Yes, that could happen. But, if it did, why on earth would Leclerc move?
In reality, a swap might be a good move for one of the drivers. Leclerc might love a chance at McLaren if that team is still dominating. Alternatively, Piastri might want a red suit if Ferrari has finally found its form. However, a switch is unlikely to be good for both of them.
The only realistic way that Piastri could join Ferrari in 2027 is if the team has a strong car, Hamilton continues to struggle, and the Australian replaces the seven-time World Champion. Possible? Sure. Likely? That’s debatable.
A much more recent assertion, from Juan Pablo Montoya, is that the “Oscar to Ferrari” rumors were cooked up by another team – possibly Red Bull – in an effort to destabilize McLaren. That sounds much more like the F1 we all know and love, and it also leads neatly into the next possibility.
Red Bull – Mark Webber’s Connections
Given the revolving door of second drivers at Red Bull, the prospect of a bright young star joining Max Verstappen has also drawn some attention. The possibility has gained even more traction due to the old connections of Mark Webber, Piastri’s manager, with the team.
However, the scenario also has a few glaring problems. Firstly, Red Bull’s second seat is not exactly seen as desirable, and the team makes no secret of the fact that it’s now a support act to Verstappen. Piastri is being touted as ‘future World Champion’ material, if not this year, then at some point. So, it’s hard to see him joining a team that’s focused purely on another driver.
The ‘connection’ with Mark Webber is also a two-edged sword. Webber was on the wrong side of driver favoritism during his time at the team, the Multi-21 incident being the most famous example. His book pointed the finger at Helmut Marko as being one of the main villains, and Marko is still firmly in the fold. If Webber is looking for a ‘fair go’ for his young protégé, Red Bull might be quite low on his list of recommendations.
Finally, there are several question marks over Red Bull’s chances in the next few years. The team has gone through a major upheaval in terms of personnel, with long-time principal Christian Horner being shown the door earlier this year. It will be running its own in-house engine for the very first time in 2026, and the team has been eager to downplay expectations. They could very well be a midfield runner for the foreseeable future.
In short, Red Bull is Verstappen’s team, Webber’s connections might not be positive, and they’re going through a rebuilding period. For Piastri, all of that probably adds up to a “no thanks,” at least for now.
Mercedes – A Vacant Seat?
Having just re-signed both its drivers, Mercedes might look like an outlier for Piastri. However, it warrants further discussion, and might actually be a more realistic option than either Ferrari or Red Bull.
The team has its own young star-in-the-making, Kimi Antonelli, but he hasn’t yet delivered on all the hype. Of course, it’s too early to know if that’s just rookie jitters or if it’s a sign of things to come. It really depends on how Antonelli performs next year, but if he doesn’t show some solid improvement, Toto Wolff might start thinking about alternatives.
Given the history of Mercedes’ engines, especially with new regulations, it has also been touted as one of the teams to watch in 2026. Picture this scenario: Mercedes has the best engine on the grid, the team has done a decent job with the new aero rules, and George Russell is dominating the season. Antonelli, on the other hand, continues making rookie mistakes and is losing crucial points for the team. “Hi Oscar, this is Toto. Interested in a seat for 2027?”
Aston Martin – Never Underestimate Newey (Or Alonso…)
With design Jedi Adrian Newey now on board, Aston Martin is another team that could be taking names in 2026 and beyond. There’s only one problem: both its drivers seem pretty well entrenched.
Yes, Fernando Alonso is getting on, and he can’t keep going forever. Alonso himself admitted that fact a few weeks ago. However, he’s also one of the most driven characters in the F1 paddock. If he has a competitive car, you’ll need a herd of wild horses to drag him away from it.
There are two scenarios in which Piastri could move to Aston Martin, but it would be in 2027 at the earliest. The first is that Newey’s design shows promise, but isn’t yet a race-winner. Alonso decides he doesn’t have the energy to wait around and steps aside at the end of 2026. Piastri takes up the reins as the driver to take the team to glory.
The second is that Lance Stroll finally accepts he’s not F1 material and wants to give his seat to someone who deserves it. Yeah, right!
The Elephant in the Room – McLaren
As mentioned from the outset, it’s worth noting that Piastri is leading this year’s championship, and he’s still only in his third season.
When the new regulations come into force next year, the Mercedes engine that many expect will be the class of the field will also be powering the McLaren. Given their form in recent years, it’s also possible that McLaren will have a better aero package than the Mercedes works team, so they could very well be leading the field again.
With all that in mind, the most sensible option is for Piastri to stay where he is. What if McLaren is favoring Norris? The answer to that is also quite simple: be the faster driver!
In 2017, another Australian, in the form of Daniel Ricciardo, was talking about jumping ship (at the time, his teammate was none other than Verstappen at Red Bull).
Ricciardo had nailed his colors to the mast, stating he’d love to go up against Hamilton at Mercedes. When asked about the prospect, Hamilton stated, “You’ve always got to beat the person you’re with first before you can look to compete against someone else and beat them. That’s just my personal opinion.”
The same applies to Piastri. Despite some mistakes, Lando Norris has often had the edge in race pace throughout this year, which many put down to his better tire management. At the end of 2024, Piastri admitted that this was one area he needed to improve. He’s taken a step in the right direction this year, but it’s still a weak point. So far, he’s shown an extraordinary ability to work on problem areas, so race pace should be a central focus during the off-season.
Of course, this year’s championship is far from over, and it remains to be seen how it will pan out. If Piastri comes out on top, he’ll be the hero of the day, and no one will be talking about potential moves. If he doesn’t, he might still have the best car next year, and it’ll be time to show what he’s made of. After all, the sport’s greats never relied on ‘Papaya Rules’ to win championships.
Peter Molloy began following Formula 1 during the 1985 Australian Grand Prix. He cheered for a certain Ayrton Senna, who was driving the same black and gold colors as a toy F1 car that Pete had been given. Pete continued to be a fan of Senna throughout his childhood. Fast forward many moons, and Peter now combines significant journalistic experience with decades of watching F1 to cover the latest on-track and off-track action.