McLaren F1 boss declares silly season open with Oscar Piastri statement

McLaren F1 boss Andrea Stella has issued his thoughts on rumours linking Oscar Piastri to a McLaren exit.

After leading the drivers' championship last year from April-September, Piastri ended up finishing third in the standings, behind team-mate Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

The Australian has also started the 2026 season in disappointing form, currently sat in sixth, 10 points behind Norris.

In recent weeks, rumours have spread that Piastri could be set to leave the papaya team in the near future, despite being under contract until the end of the 2028 season.

Reports have suggested that the young Aussie is being lined up by Red Bull as a future replacement for Max Verstappen, whose long-term future is also up for debate.

At last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, Stella rubbished these rumours, claiming that they're all part of so-called 'silly season', where the paddock's media run wild with claims of driver swaps and team exits.

“Well, I think the reaction is in your question,” he said in the team principals press conference last time out when asked about the deluge of transfer rumours.

“You mentioned the silly season, and I think we are already fully in this silly season. 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.

“Great dynamics and relationship with Lando, 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.”

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Stella issues update on own F1 future

Following the signing of Gianpiero Lambiase from rivals Red Bull, there were also questions about Stella's long-term future at McLaren.

But he reiterated his commitment to the project, saying: “When it comes to myself, I’m definitely fully committed to McLaren. One of the things that makes me more proud of my experience as a team principal is that we managed to fill the cabinet at MTC with trophies, and this meant that we needed to create another area of the cabinet, a new one. And for me the mission is very clear: we need to fill that new area of the cabinet for the years to come at McLaren.

“And GP? It’s very simple. At McLaren, we want to employ the best people in Formula 1, the best expertise, the best leaders. And the fact that GP decided to join McLaren, for me, just speaks to the credibility of our team.

“So, silly season, what’s important for us is stability and that the best talents in Formula 1 want to join McLaren.”

Though the Woking-based squad have acquired some exciting talents off track, they have plenty to work on where their strategy is concerned after a disastrous race weekend in Montreal where they made a questionable tyre gamble that failed to pay off.

Though Norris took an early lead in the race, the reigning champion eventually retired with a gearbox issue, whilst Piastri finished the Canadian GP out of the points in P11 after taking a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision.

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya hits back at Max Verstappen drama claims: 'If you're angry about that, you have issues'

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