AUSTRALIAN Oscar Piastri is speculated to leave McLaren and replace Alex Verstappen at Red Bull.
Image: AFP
The age old adage about smoke and fire must be true when it comes to the future of Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing.
Since his long time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase agreed to join McLaren Formula 1 from 2028, speculation has been through the roof that this could be Verstappen’s final season in Red Bull colours.
But what is even more interesting is that Oscar Piastri has allegedly been earmarked as his replacement.
Reports out of the Miami paddock claim Red Bull have already identified the McLaren star as the ideal candidate to lead the team into Formula 1’s next era.
It is a stunning development considering Verstappen remains under contract until 2028 and, until recently, looked inseparable from the Milton Keynes outfit.
Yet Formula 1 moves quickly when dominance disappears. The new 2026 regulations have exposed weaknesses at Red Bull, with the team no longer enjoying the overwhelming advantage that carried Verstappen to multiple world titles.
Frustration has reportedly been building behind the scenes as rivals close the gap, while Mercedes and McLaren continue making aggressive gains.
That has naturally intensified rumours linking Verstappen with an exit, especially because fans know there is a performance clause in his contract.
Mercedes continue hovering in the background, while McLaren’s recent rise has only added more intrigue following Lambiase’s switch.
In Formula 1, engineers and drivers often move together, which is why the Dutchman’s future has suddenly become one of the hottest topics in the paddock.
Red Bull targeting Piastri also says plenty about how highly the Australian is rated internally.
Still only in the early years of his Formula 1 career, Piastri has built a reputation as one of the calmest and most clinical young drivers on the grid.
He rarely cracks under pressure, makes very few mistakes and possesses the racecraft needed to lead a championship challenge.
The irony is impossible to ignore. While Verstappen continues being linked away from Red Bull, the team may already be preparing to raid McLaren for the driver many believe could become Formula 1’s next dominant superstar.
Jehran Naidoo is sports reporter for Independent Media and social media coordinator of the our YouTube channel The Clutch.