Juan Pablo Montoya says there’s only one way McLaren can stop Oscar Piastri leaving if he loses title

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Oscar Piastri is considering his long-term future at McLaren, based on some murmurs in the F1 paddock. That’s despite the dominance the team have enjoyed in 2025.

One insider suspects Piastri and Mark Webber are ‘looking round’ to see if there are any openings elsewhere. The Australian has won seven Grands Prix this year and arrived in Brazil a point off the championship lead.

However, there are accusations that McLaren are favouring Lando Norris. Along with team management, Piastri himself has denied this theory.

Even if he believes the team are supporting him, he may seek an environment where he can be the number one driver. Rumours suggest that Piastri has been ‘flirting’ with Ferrari amid uncertainty about the futures of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

McLaren may have to dominate in 2026 to keep Oscar Piastri, Juan Pablo Montoya says

Speaking on the AS Colombia YouTube channel, Juan Pablo Montoya was adamant that one of the McLaren drivers won’t be ‘happy’ at the end of the year. It will all come down to who wins the championship.

The driver who loses out – and it’s still possible that Max Verstappen could beat both – will then look to leave at the end of next year unless McLaren ‘dominate’ under the new regulations.

Piastri and Norris have both signed long-term contracts, but the consensus is that most drivers have negotiated exit clauses given the uncertainty around the post-2026 pecking order.

“I’m telling you, one of them isn’t going to be happy this year,” said Montoya. “If McLaren don’t dominate next year, one of them is going to look for a way out.

“Whoever isn’t happy is going to look for a way out, I think. If Oscar wins the championship, Oscar stays there. Relax. If Lando wins the championship, then Lando will stay put.”

George Russell fears McLaren ahead of 2026 F1 regulation changes

Next year, McLaren will race with the Mercedes engines that are widely expected to be the best on the grid. It could come down to which team delivers the better aerodynamic package.

McLaren are confident that they not only have the drivers, but the off-track personnel and the structure required to maintain their level.

According to George Russell, McLaren aren’t the only team who wouldn’t swap places with Mercedes. It’s worth noting that there’s plenty of posturing going on with limited knowledge at this stage.