Oscar Piastri ‘could go at any time’ from McLaren as details of contract ‘get-out clause’ emerge

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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri ‘could go at any time’ as details of a contract clause have emerged that mirror what allowed Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025.

Oscar Piastri wouldn’t have dreamt of a worse start to the 2026 Formula 1 season after crashing on his way to the grid at the Australian Grand Prix.

His McLaren teammate Lando Norris didn’t get his title defence off to the best start either, finishing nearly a minute behind eventual race winner George Russell to claim fifth-place.

Finish the sentence: In 2027, Oscar Piastri will be driving for…

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Piastri explained that a torque spike contributed to his crash, but still put a lot of the blame on himself for making the error.

McLaren are desperate to keep Norris and Piastri, as Zak Brown has said on multiple occasions that he believes he has the best driver line-up on the grid.

However, if Piastri’s camp feels McLaren are favouring Norris over him again this season, then journalist James Phelps believes that a ‘get-out clause’ exists in his current deal that would allow him to explore his options elsewhere in the paddock.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

Oscar Piastri ‘get-out clause’ would allow him to leave McLaren, with Ferrari suggested as a potential destination

Speaking on the MotorRacing 360 show on Fox Australia about Piastri’s situation, Phelps explained: “Is he ever going to win a world title there? It’s pretty obvious that they gave Lando some preferential treatment.

“They might say that they didn’t, but it shows what he’s going to do going forward? Now, their contract in Formula 1 is about as clear as the energy return system at the moment.

“He’s got a multi-year deal, some people say it ends in 2028, other people are saying 2027, but it’s pretty clear that he’s got a get-out clause if Lando is favoured.

“If you go through the contracts, Lewis had one; he got out of that with Mercedes just after signing to go to Ferrari, he could go at any time.

“But the question is, would he be better served being a number two in a team like McLaren, or going somewhere else and becoming the number one?”

Pundit and five-time V8 Supercars champion Mark Skaife replied: “Well, it’s reminiscent of how what with Mark Webber, so Webber, his manager, with Seb Vettel.

“Vettel was the golden-haired boy at that time, so it’s actually quite hard now to make your next step.

“Do you get out of there? I mean, do you end up at Ferrari, for instance? There’s been a lot of conjecture about how long Lewis will drive for, and where he actually ends up in terms of what the scenario is in the pecking order.”

Phelps concluded: “It depends if either of those big teams [Mercedes or Ferrari] look at him as a number one, and I’m sure they would. He’s a superstar, and he’s got the personality.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Where are Oscar Piastri’s most realistic options if he decides to activate McLaren’s ‘get-out clause’?

Piastri will be desperate to put his troubles in Melbourne behind him, but in the intra-team battle against Norris, the signs were positive before his crash.

He outqualified last year’s champion, and after winning the Chinese Grand Prix last season with arguably the greatest qualifying lap of his career thus far, putting him on pole position, he should be full of confidence.

However, if it’s perceived by Piastri’s team that success is never going to arrive at McLaren for whatever reason, then his options currently seem limited.

Ferrari could lose Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc based on their previous comments if the team’s form suddenly nose-dives this year, but if a seat opens up, it would surely be handed to the very impressive Oliver Bearman.

Toto Wolff would be mad to replace either George Russell or his protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli right now, and if he did, his preference has always been to try and lure Max Verstappen away from Red Bull.

That would leave Red Bull as Piastri’s only other option from the leading pack, but against Verstappen he wouldn’t stand much of a chance, and if the four-time champion decided to leave, then the reasons for that move should discourage the Australian from stepping into his position.