Mark Webber, former Red Bull driver and now manager of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, is reportedly pushing hard to negotiate a potential move for his client to Red Bull. This claim comes from Red Bull’s senior advisor Helmut Marko, suggesting that a significant twist in the Formula 1 driver market could be on the horizon. With Piastri already known for making bold moves, like rejecting an Alpine promotion to join McLaren for 2023, there are now hints that he could make another career-defining switch, this time to Red Bull.
Red Bull’s interest in Piastri seems to be tied to the uncertainty surrounding Sergio Perez’s future with the team. There’s speculation that Red Bull might be considering Piastri as a future teammate or even a replacement for Max Verstappen as early as 2026. Verstappen, while contracted until 2028, has a performance-related exit clause and has been linked to possible moves to Mercedes or Aston Martin. Piastri’s current contract with McLaren runs until the end of 2026, making the timeline of a potential move align with Red Bull’s needs.
Ralf Schumacher, a six-time F1 race winner, also supports the idea of Piastri as an ideal successor to Verstappen if the Dutchman decides to leave Red Bull. Schumacher praised Piastri as a top talent with room for growth, predicting that any small disadvantages Piastri has compared to teammate Lando Norris will soon disappear. He added that Red Bull should be preparing for the possibility of Verstappen’s departure by securing a driver like Piastri, who has shown remarkable skill early in his F1 career.
As of now, Red Bull and Verstappen remain strong contenders in the 2024 season, but McLaren has surged forward, even overtaking Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship standings. With five races left, McLaren leads Red Bull by 40 points, and the Drivers’ title is still being contested, although Verstappen regained a stronger lead over Norris after the Austin race. Piastri, who is currently trailing Norris by 50 points, has pledged to support his teammate’s title bid, though Verstappen himself remarked that Piastri shouldn’t accept a secondary role in the team.
Piastri responded to Verstappen’s comments by downplaying any notion that he is playing second fiddle to Norris at McLaren. He acknowledged that Verstappen is a straightforward person but explained that McLaren treats both drivers equally, and his performances will dictate his opportunities. Piastri pointed to examples like the Baku race, where he didn’t give up positions purely for the benefit of Norris. He made it clear that his focus is on helping the team while taking his chances to perform at his best, not conforming to a rigid number one or number two hierarchy.
