Oscar Piastri’s future at McLaren has become a topic of paddock speculation, and one veteran engineer has issued a stark warning about the risks of leaving a winning team for perceived greener pastures.
The Australian finished third in the 2025 drivers’ championship behind teammate Lando Norris, who claimed his maiden title, and Max Verstappen. Despite leading the standings for much of the campaign, Piastri ultimately fell short by season’s end.
McLaren’s recent announcement that Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join the team as chief racing officer no later than 2028 has reignited speculation about potential driver movements between McLaren and Red Bull.
McLaren CEO’s Stance on Driver Lineup
While McLaren CEO Zak Brown has publicly stated he “couldn’t be happier” with his current driver pairing of Norris and Piastri, he has also hinted that departures could open the door for Verstappen in the future.
Mercedes currently lead both championships in 2026, giving McLaren a reprieve from the intense spotlight they faced during their championship-winning seasons. The papaya squad won multiple constructors’ titles on the bounce in recent years, establishing themselves as consistent front-runners.
Rob Smedley’s Warning from Experience
Speaking on the High Performance Racing Podcast, Rob Smedley — former race engineer for Felipe Massa at Ferrari — addressed whether Piastri should consider leaving McLaren if he cannot secure a title there due to the team’s policy of not favouring a number one driver.
“That’s a hard one for a driver, isn’t it? Because let’s say that McLaren, okay, they’re catching up. Mercedes are in front of this point, but like last two years, they’ve been probably the best team. And this year they’ll be there or thereabouts. They’re now to win world championships. They were now to win multiple world championships on the bounce, constructors’. So that’s telling you that this is a team if it doesn’t mess it up, is entering its pomp, right?”
Drawing on his decades of experience in Formula 1, Smedley posed a critical question about drivers who struggle against their teammates at winning teams.
“So if you’re a driver in that team and you’re struggling against your team-mate and I’m going back now to my Ferrari days. What’s the option for you? Do you leave and go to a worse team that actually has no chance of winning the world championship, but you might be the better driver in that team, the number one?”
His answer was unequivocal, rooted in years of observing driver career trajectories.
“I’ve seen that on many an occasion. I’ve seen drivers do that and I’ve never seen it work out well. I’ve never seen it where the driver’s been happier.”
The Verstappen Factor
Regardless of Piastri’s intentions, the upcoming F1 silly season will likely be dictated by Max Verstappen’s decisions. The four-time world champion holds the keys to any major driver market movements, with multiple teams eager to secure his signature.
Red Bull, once the sport’s dominant force, has experienced significant personnel changes in recent years. The team is currently rebuilding under team principal Laurent Mekies, who replaced Christian Horner in July 2024.
For Piastri, the choice is clear from Smedley’s perspective: stay at a team entering its prime years, or risk a move that history suggests rarely pays dividends. McLaren have proven they can build championship-winning machinery, and with the Lambiase appointment signalling continued ambition, the 25-year-old may be better served fighting for supremacy at Woking rather than seeking guaranteed number one status elsewhere.
The next chapter of this story will unfold as the 2026 season progresses, with the Canadian Grand Prix next on the calendar on June 13-15.