In Formula 1, speed is everything—except when it isn’t. For Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s secret weapon isn’t a faster car or groundbreaking tech. It’s something far rarer in the paddock: stability.
While rivals are dealing with reshuffles and speculation, McLaren’s 2025 lineup remains rock solid. Piastri and teammate Lando Norris are starting their third season together, with contracts stretching well beyond 2026. Team boss Andrea Stella signed a multi-year extension last year, and CEO Zak Brown is locked in until 2030.
Compare that to the chaos elsewhere. Ferrari just signed Lewis Hamilton and re-upped Fred Vasseur. Mercedes brought in rookie Kimi Antonelli, with George Russell still awaiting official confirmation. Red Bull? A revolving door—Liam Lawson in, then out for Yuki Tsunoda, plus Christian Horner abruptly replaced mid-season by Laurent Mekies.
For Piastri, the value of calm surroundings became clear after his turbulent Alpine exit in 2022, when a contract saga left him without a guaranteed seat. McLaren’s swift offer—buying out Daniel Ricciardo’s final year—sealed his loyalty.
“I’m certainly very happy where I am,” Piastri said. “I think it is a massive strength of ours, how united we are… stability is definitely a nice thing.”
That’s why Red Bull’s rumored interest last year didn’t tempt him, even as Sergio Perez’s struggles made headlines.
On Horner’s sudden sacking, Piastri was blunt:
“It was obviously a change for Red Bull… but for me, it really doesn’t affect much. I’ve not spent much time thinking about it.”
In a sport addicted to change, McLaren’s calm might be its sharpest weapon—and Piastri’s quiet confidence suggests they plan to keep it that way.
