McLaren team principal Andrea Stella publicly dismissed speculation that driver Oscar Piastri could leave the team for Red Bull, affirming Piastri's happiness and strong performance at McLaren. Stella spoke at the Canadian Grand Prix on May 22, stating, "When we think about Oscar, we couldn't be happier. I think we are seeing the best Oscar in the cockpit and also a happy Oscar and the best version of himself outside the cockpit" [1]. He added, "Great dynamic and relationship with (teammate) Lando (Norris) and I think the team is in its strongest shape since I've been team principal. So definitely it's very clear the direction for maximum stability at McLaren" [2]. Stella, who took over as McLaren's team principal in 2022 after Andreas Seidl's departure, confirmed his own full commitment to the team [1].
Piastri, 25, had a mixed start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. He failed to start the opening two rounds in Australia and China but rebounded with podium finishes at the Japanese Grand Prix (second place) and Miami (third place), tallying two podiums so far [1, 2]. These results have contributed to his reputation as a rising talent within the sport. The strong partnership with teammate Norris has been noted as a positive factor in McLaren’s current momentum [1, 2].
The speculation that Piastri might join Red Bull as a potential successor to Max Verstappen was also denied by Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies. Mekies said, "Honestly, it’s not so dissimilar to Andrea’s comments, in the way that we have a very, very strong driver lineup, and the driver choice is not a question that we are asking ourselves right now" [2]. He praised Verstappen’s performance despite a challenging start to the season, saying "We have Max, nobody needs to present Max. He is pulling us up through a fairly complicated start of the season" [1]. Mekies also praised Red Bull's other driver, Isack Hadjar, who has adapted well to a difficult car and closely matched Verstappen’s pace in the first three races [1, 2]. Mekies affirmed, "As far as we are concerned, we are super happy with the two guys behind the wheels" [1].
The next major Formula 1 events will see both McLaren and Red Bull continue their 2026 campaigns as the season progresses beyond May’s early rounds.