How Piastri became a pawn in Max’s contract talks
Updated . First published
Oscar Piastri was an unwilling pawn in Max Verstappen’s contract negotiations, after the four-time world champion declared he was more likely to have retired than driven for another team.
Red Bull on Thursday night (AEST) announced Verstappen had resigned with the squad until the end of 2030, ending months of speculation he was on his way out of the team and potentially F1 altogether.
Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. Formula 1 via Getty Images
Rumours had been smouldering for months Verstappen was trying to take Piastri’s seat at McLaren – rumours denied constantly by the McLaren team and Piastri’s camp. There were some reports he had even been negotiating with McLaren chief executive Zak Brown directly.
Verstappen had been one of the most vocal critics of the 2026 engine regulations, and how much he had to change his driving style. To make matters worse, Red Bull were nowhere near the competitive force they had been in recent seasons, which only added to the narrative he was trying to get out of the team.
But ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix – his home race – Verstappen revealed he was “closer to retiring than changing teams”.
It means the Piastri rumours were more than likely pushed by Verstappen’s camp to swing the power within negotiations away from the team.
“I have to say, after the first few races, I said to Laurent [Mekies, Red Bull team principal], don’t come to me with any kind of questions about the future, because I don’t even know if I want to stay. But honestly, we always kept it very open,” he said in the Zandvoort paddock per motorsport.com.
“I mean, I love racing. I had a lot of very good discussions with F1, but also with the FIA [about the regulations].
“We are, let’s say, slowly working towards something that becomes better and better. So also from my side, I adapted, I accept the situation that I think we’re all in, and just trying to make the best of that.
“And I think also with the year that I signed to, it again opens up the door when potentially the V8s come in to look at that again.”
Verstappen was already believed to be the highest-paid driver on the grid, and the new deal is reportedly worth $75 million a season, plus any other personal endorsements.
It also gives him more freedom to compete in other motor sport disciplines outside F1. He raced for his own team at this year’s Nürburgring 24 hours, and looked on for victory before late mechanical gremlins.
Piastri is signed with McLaren until the end of 2028.
Piastri on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix. AP Photo/Darko Bandic
The Dutch Grand Prix is the first race after the sport’s mid-season break, and kicks off a gruelling run of 12 race meetings in the next 15 weekends.
The season has a week off after the trip to Zandvoort, before a double header at the Italian and Spanish grands prix. Three triple-headers will finish the season.
