McLaren are ‘particularly interested’ in one F1 driver with Oscar Piastri ‘secretly’ frustrated

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Oscar Piastri fought for the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time during the 2025 season, but his future at McLaren is uncertain despite having a contract through 2028.

The papaya crew signed Piastri to a fresh deal on the eve of the 2025 F1 season, which also gifted the Melbourne native a tasty pay rise. McLaren pay Piastri £28m a year, which yielded seven Grand Prix wins, six pole positions and 16 podiums across the 24 rounds during 2025.

Piastri even led the F1 drivers’ standings for 189 days, the most by anyone this season, after becoming the first Australian to top the championship since Mark Webber back in 2010. Yet the 24-year-old finished the term 13 points behind Lando Norris and 11 off Max Verstappen.

Norris overcame Piastri’s 34-point lead after 15 out of the 24 rounds in 2025 as his McLaren teammate crumbled through the run-in. Piastri crashed in Azerbaijan, crashed into Norris in the COTA Sprint and struggled on the low-grip tracks in the USA, Mexico City and Sao Paulo.

McLaren are ‘particularly interested’ in Charles Leclerc as a replacement for Oscar Piastri in 2027

Now, Nextgen-Auto even reports that Piastri is ‘secretly frustrated’ at McLaren, as he thinks the team showed a ‘growing preference’ for Norris. So, McLaren are reviewing their options in case Piastri attempts to break out of his contract early at the close of the 2026 F1 season.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

How many Grand Prix wins would Charles Leclerc have if he drove for McLaren in the ground-effect era?

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McLaren are ‘particularly interested’ in signing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, should Piastri pursue pastures new. But the Woking natives could have to rival Aston Martin for Leclerc’s signature, as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are both out of contract at the end of 2026.

Aston Martin are also monitoring Leclerc’s situation at Ferrari closely, as he can evaluate his options to leave Maranello during the early phase of the 2026 season. Leclerc has a release clause in his Ferrari contract through 2029 that will let him leave the team, should he wish.

Leclerc will weigh up his future with Ferrari based on how they start the 2026 F1 regulations cycle. The Monegasque is determined to have a competitive car to finally fight for an F1 title after winning just eight of his 152 races for the pride of Italy since joining them back in 2019.

Charles Leclerc may share McLaren’s interest in a move for the 2027 F1 season

Leclerc may also share McLaren’s interest in him replacing Piastri in the 2027 F1 season. It is said that Ferrari’s Leclerc is considering a seat swap with McLaren’s Piastri should Mercedes not be available, were he to ultimately decide to leave Maranello before the 2027 campaign.

Finish the sentence: In 2027, Charles Leclerc will be driving for _____

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But McLaren might need to fight Aston Martin for Leclerc’s signature, should they pursue his services, with the Silverstone crew weighing up Alonso and Stroll’s futures. It is also said that Adrian Newey has boosted Aston Martin’s chances of signing Leclerc as their team principal.

Aston Martin could emerge as a front-runner next year, and thus an option for Leclerc, with Newey designing their car for F1’s 2026 regulations plus Honda joining to become a factory engine team. McLaren will continue to be a Mercedes engine customer team through 2030.

McLaren have proven they can win with a customer engine, after winning the constructors’ title in 2024 and 2025 and the drivers’ title with Norris in 2025. Norris and Piastri also both took seven Grand Prix wins in 2025, more than Leclerc has scored in the past five years (6).