Piastri gives update amid Verstappen to McLaren reports

(opens in a new tab)Sign InSubscribeF1ScheduleResultsStandingsDriversTeamsF1 UnlockedOpen menuFIA if(window.f1MobileDetection.iOSSafari) { var meta = document.createElement("meta"); meta.name = "apple-itunes-app"; meta.content = "app-id=835022598, app-argument=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-offers-update-amid-verstappen-to-mclaren-reports.6OHxOShsVoKKrTgJfOL6GP.6OHxOShsVoKKrTgJfOL6GP"; document.head.appendChild(meta); } {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-offers-update-amid-verstappen-to-mclaren-reports.6OHxOShsVoKKrTgJfOL6GP","url":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-offers-update-amid-verstappen-to-mclaren-reports.6OHxOShsVoKKrTgJfOL6GP","mainEntityOfPage":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-offers-update-amid-verstappen-to-mclaren-reports.6OHxOShsVoKKrTgJfOL6GP","datePublished":"2026-07-16T17:25:20.520Z","dateModified":"2026-07-16T17:25:20.520Z","headline":"Oscar Piastri offers update amid Max Verstappen to McLaren reports ahead of 2026 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix","author":"F1","description":"Oscar Piastri has offered an update on his position with McLaren amid ongoing speculation that Max Verstappen will replace him at the team, stating \"I'm happy with where I am\".","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://media.formula1.com/image/upload/t_16by9Centre/f_auto/q_auto/v1784216344/trackside-images/2026/F1_Grand_Prix_of_Belgium___Previews/2286391625.jpg"},"isAccessibleForFree":"true","publisher":{"@type":"SportsOrganization","@id":"https://www.formula1.com#organization","name":"Formula 1","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.formula1.com/etc/designs/fom-website/social/f1-default-share.jpg","width":"480","height":"120"}}}Oscar PiastriMcLarenMax VerstappenShow more tagsPiastri offers update amid Verstappen to McLaren reportsOscar Piastri believes he will remain with McLaren next season despite speculation that Max Verstappen will replace him. Oscar Piastri has offered an update on his position with McLaren amid ongoing speculation that Max Verstappen will replace him at the team. Rumours have continued in recent months about a possible move for four-time World Champion Verstappen to McLaren, where he would replace Piastri and partner Lando Norris. Piastri's manager and ex-F1 driver, Mark Webber, stated that “there has been a lot of fiction written” about the potential driver move, while McLaren CEO Zak Brown has publicly stated he his happy with his current line-up. Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, Verstappen stated “there’s nothing to say” about the reports, while Piastri claimed he was happy with the reassurances given by Brown. "I trust in what Zak [Brown] and Andrea [Stella] have said to me and the belief in me as well," said the Australian on Thursday's media day at Spa. "I'm happy with where I am, with the team around me and how things are going. Appreciate their belief, support and trust." The Australian will look to bounce back this weekend after a tough race at the previous round in Silverstone, where an opening lap collision and unscheduled pit stop meant he failed to score any points. But returning to a venue where he won last year, Piastri was hopeful of picking up the pieces should others struggle, while planned upgrades for the next round in Hungary would bring McLaren closer to the front. "For this weekend I'm not sure where we're going to sit," he said. "We're going to be similar to where we have been which is third or fourth quickest car depending on how competitive Red Bull look really. "That's just the reality of where we are at the moment. Going forwards, hopefully the new parts we can bring to the car will help us out. "We're under no illusion that we're going to need more than the upgrades we're bringing the next few races but hopefully, it's a positive step in the right direction and we can at least be there to pick up the pieces." Download the Official F1 AppYour ultimate companion into
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