Oscar Piastri might be dealing with some tension at McLaren after finishing third in last season's championship despite leading for 15 races, but don't expect him heading to Red Bull anytime soon. The Australian driver's contract with the team runs through 2028, which basically locks him in at the Woking outfit for the next couple of years. Sure, he's got an exit clause that's active until October since he's currently sitting sixth in the standings, but that hardly changes the bigger picture here.

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All this talk about a potential swap between Piastri and Max Verstappen had been doing the rounds, especially with whispers that friction between the Aussie and McLaren might push him out the door. But according to reports, Piastri's already confirmed as a McLaren driver through 2028, which would only allow Verstappen to arrive in 2029 at the earliest. That's a pretty significant roadblock if McLaren were serious about bringing in the four-time world champion.

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Here's where it gets interesting though. Verstappen has had some preliminary chats with McLaren, and the team's already bringing in some Red Bull staff, including his current race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who'll join in 2028. So the groundwork is being laid for a future move. The thing is, Verstappen's salary demands are reportedly too steep for McLaren to swallow, even with their Bahraini backing. That means a swap might not actually happen in 2027 like the rumors suggested.

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Of course, F1 contracts aren't exactly set in stone. Teams can pay drivers out or negotiate early exits if they're desperate enough. McLaren could theoretically buy out Piastri if they wanted to make room for Verstappen. But right now, it's looking like both drivers stay put at their respective teams until at least 2028. In the meantime, the driver market will keep churning out wild stories, because let's be honest, that's what keeps us entertained during the offseason.

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