Oscar Piastri signed a new McLaren contract this week ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, his home race. Zak Brown has now tied down both members of his elite driver line-up.
Just over a year ago, Lando Norris signed a contract extension that runs until the end of 2028, and includes an option for 2029. Now Piastri has penned a long-term deal too.
The former F2 champion made his debut for McLaren in 2023 after they prevailed in a legal battle with Alpine. His first extension, signed in the autumn of that year, took him until the end of 2026.
But the Woking outfit have moved quickly to prevent any uncertainty over his future. Norris and Piastri delivered McLaren’s first constructors’ title since 1998 last season.
Red Bull are admirers of Piastri amid ongoing uncertainty over the future of Max Verstappen. Liam Lawson has only been signed for an initial 12 months in the other cockpit.
In season seven of Drive to Survive, which released last Friday, team principal Christian Horner said he’d take Piastri over Norris if given the choice. Speaking to Australian programme Today, the Melbourne-born racer offered his reaction.
Oscar Piastri would never have leveraged Red Bull interest in McLaren talks
Interviewer Trevor Long suggested that Piastri could have used Horner’s publicly-stated interest to extract a better offer from McLaren. But the two-time Grand Prix winner never considered that tactic.
There was a mutual desire to stay, so he didn’t want to damage his relationship with the team. He knows he’ll have to beat Norris in equal machinery if he’s to become a world champion in the foreseeable future.
Some may feel that Piastri would be better served racing for a team where he’s the clear number one. McLaren sparked intense debate in the F1 paddock last season by maintaining parity between their drivers until the autumn.
“Christian Horner said very clearly in Drive to Survive he would take you as his number one choice. Was there a bit of nerves to say ‘we could have gotten more, perhaps, if we’d held out’?” Long asked.
Piastri replied: “No, not really. It just felt like the natural thing to do from both sides. McLaren were keen to make it happen, I was more than happy to enter into those talks as well. I’m very, very happy with where we’ve ended up.”
Christian Horner may have been encouraged after Oscar Piastri admitted supporting Red Bull drivers
The ironic thing about Horner’s comments is that Red Bull made ‘serious attempts’ to sign Norris a year ago. They weren’t convinced by Sergio Perez, who ultimately lost his drive at the end of the season.
Norris rebuffed them by signing a new deal, and now Piastri has done the same. McLaren has, in their eyes, become a more attractive environment long-term.
Piastri supported Mark Webber as a child, and also cheered for fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo. Horner may have tried to tap into that emotional connection.
But McLaren have finally made it back to the top of F1 and appear well-placed for the upcoming regulation changes. Red Bull are an unknown, however, as they build their own power unit for the first time.
