May 22 (GMM) Zak Brown has brushed aside growing speculation linking Oscar Piastri with a future move to Red Bull Racing.
Rumours intensified after reports claimed Red Bull views Piastri as its preferred replacement if Max Verstappen eventually leaves the team.
The speculation comes amid continuing uncertainty about Verstappen’s long-term future following the departures of senior figures including race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who is expected to join McLaren in 2028 – or potentially earlier.
There have also been suggestions that Piastri and manager Mark Webber were frustrated by McLaren’s handling of Piastri and Lando Norris during the 2025 title fight, although Webber has publicly stepped back from day-to-day involvement this year.
Speaking to the New York Times, McLaren CEO Brown admitted rival interest in both drivers is inevitable.
“I would imagine there’s not a team on the grid that wouldn’t want to have Oscar and Lando driving for them,” he said.
But Brown insisted McLaren’s priority is building an environment where neither drivers nor staff want to leave.
“My general view, contracts aside, is our job is to create an environment where our drivers don’t want to drive anywhere else,” he explained. “You don’t want to hold someone because you’ve got a piece of paper.”
“You want them to go, ‘This is the team I want to race with.'”
Brown reiterated that he believes Norris and Piastri are the strongest pairing in Formula 1.
“In all of our racing series, the number one goal is the best driver line-up that you can get,” he said.
“I wouldn’t trade ours for any other combination on the grid.”
Piastri himself also played down the Red Bull rumours in Montreal.
“This is news to me, because there have been no discussions or anything like that,” the Australian said.
“Yes, I’m flattered by such talk, but nothing more. I think such talk indicates that my stock as a driver is growing, and that’s certainly a good sign.”
“However, I’m completely happy with where I am now.”