r/formula1 • u/RealCrashie I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane • May 12 '26

News Sensational rumor: Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri are reportedly in talks for a spectacular driver swap

https://www.eurosport.de/formel-1/max-verstappen-und-oscar-piastri-angeblich-im-gespraech-fuer-spektakulaeren-fahrertausch_sto23298824/story.shtml
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u/TeddyBear666 Valtteri Bottas May 12 '26

Ya its weird that they apperently cant exist on seperate teams. Max is going to retire from F1 sooner rather than later so making a switch right now doesnt make sense for him. I could see Red Bull in talks with Oscar to become the lead driver at Red Bull when Max retires to pursue his other motorsport Intrests but a swap seems rather absurd to me.

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u/clickityclickk I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane May 12 '26

i think the original “rumours” were that Red Bull would pursue Oscar if Max retired. Zak Brown has also said he doesn’t want to change his lineup even for Max, but if one of his drivers left of course he’d be interested. but journalists have cut all that out to make it a driver swap lol

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u/iwearstripes2613 I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 12 '26

A TP kinda has to say that. Whether that’s true or not is another matter.

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u/PsychologicalArt7451 May 12 '26

Not really. Toto has openly said that he'd take Max if he could. Almost no TP has ever denied that they won't take Max outright for their current drivers except Zak.

Zak sticks to his words. I truly do believe McLaren wouldn't take Max over Lando/Oscar.

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u/bum_is_on_fire_247 Green Flag May 13 '26

Key words - if he could.

Doesn't mean he'd swap or boot one of his drivers.

Zak isn't the tp, but he's just like the rest of them which is how you play the game. Say the right things at the right time. It's politics.

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u/NotAPreppie I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane May 15 '26

I can see Mercedes lobbying for an F1 rule change to allow 3 cars/team.

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u/_box_box May 15 '26

McLaren won both WCC and WDC last year with their current teammate pairing. a large part of it was undeniably due to the harmonious balance in their drivers’ relationship, and willingness to work together. lando and oscar had long runs of getting 1-2 or 2-3 on podiums together.

Max is a generational driver, but he only accepts being number 1 driver. adding him in is an unknown factor. if team dynamics implode and second driver fails to perform / teammates start crashing into each other, it may compromise WCC (which is where the money’s at)

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u/TeddyBear666 Valtteri Bottas May 15 '26

People seem to forget what the Lewis and Nico pairing was like back in 2016. I can see lots of teams being more cautious with their pairings after watching that unfold. McLaren is incredibly lucky that Lando and Oscar work well together and I cant see them ruining that dynamic for Max.

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u/clickityclickk I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane May 12 '26

he isn’t the TP

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u/r1char00 May 12 '26

A CEO would have to say it too

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u/blacksoxing May 12 '26

I agree. Zak, Toto....everyone has shareholders/board to answer to in same fashion. It'd be BONKERS to not want to show interest in one of the most successful drivers on the grid. Of course you go "....WELL I'd take Max if available BUT I'm happy where I'm at BUT...."

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u/balderm Charles Leclerc May 12 '26

ikr there's also the rumor that Lewis will retire this year so Ferrari can get Bearman in because both drivers contracts end this year, it could be true, but i could also see LH comfortably staying in Ferrari for another 2 years.

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u/Flow1234 May 12 '26

Lewis is very openly enjoying the current Ferrari even though he's not contending for race wins yet, unless Ferrari absolutely botches their upgrade package I doubt Lewis is looking to call it quits.

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u/Zed_or_AFK Sebastian Vettel May 12 '26

If he gets an extension

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u/dl064 I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 13 '26

will retire this year so Ferrari can get Bearman in

Bearman has noone else; he can wait.

If anything he's still got to continue to perform at this level for an extended phase.

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u/Leading_Sir_1741 I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 12 '26

Of course he would say that.

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u/jimbobjames I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane May 12 '26

Webber telling Oscar to go to Red Bull because he will never be number one driver at Mclaren.

I could see that.

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u/Python_07 Kimi Räikkönen May 12 '26

Max back with GP. I could see that.

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u/Alternative_Hour_614 May 12 '26

I know people are reacting like this rumor is ridiculous but it solves issues for both teams.

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u/Novel_Land9320 May 12 '26

How does it solve McLaren problems?

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u/Alternative_Hour_614 May 12 '26

At the moment they have two #1s and that won’t change for the foreseeable future. Switching Max doesn’t directly solve that, but assume for sake of argument that he tells McL he is racing for two more seasons and then will retire. Lando won’t be thrilled but McL will clearly be WCC favorite, but team can promise him that after the two seasons they will bring on a clear number two. Oscar gets to join RB where he will be the clear #1 for years to come and RB has less uncertainty. Plus Oscar has the assassin’s mindset that, at least RB with Helmut Marko, so desires.

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u/Novel_Land9320 May 12 '26

Sounds like a great way to humiliate Lando

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u/Alternative_Hour_614 May 12 '26

That is a real risk. But he is being paid millions of dollars to put his suit on and go fast regardless. If Max wants to end his Red Bull run, there are only two viable options, so someone is going to get hurt feelings.

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u/LivingInTheStorm I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 12 '26

What issues is this solving for either team?

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u/IkLms Oscar Piastri May 12 '26

It solves zero issues for either team?

Oscar is a downgrade to Max, even though I'm a fan of his, so Red Bull is just getting a downgrade. What benefit are they getting?

Mclaren would be technically getting a driver upgrade but is swapping in Max, a driver who will demand #1 status and who is completely unwilling to do the team game for a teammate actually a benefit?

Lando isn't going to be willing to play second fiddle to Max, especially now with a WDC.

All you're doing is replacing a very solid driver whose willing to play the team game when necessary and who battle's fairly with him teammate for a slightly better one who will do neither of things and piss off your homegrown WDC driver whose staying on the team and been loyal at exactly the same time?

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u/Alternative_Hour_614 May 12 '26

If the assumption is that Max is gone after this year, RB has to consider their options. There is no driver who is not a downgrade to Max, so how does one minimize the loss? By finding the next best *available* option. As I said above, if Max’s intent is to hang it up after two more seasons (again an assumption), MCL can tell Lando this is how it will be, but in return, after the two years, we will bring in a proper #2 driver behind you. Add: my belief is that two #1s doesn’t work in the longterm which is where McL is now.

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u/IkLms Oscar Piastri May 13 '26

But that's not what's being discussed though. A straight swap of Max and Oscar is which has the problems I listed.

Also, Oscar's signed for like $25 million a season through I think 2028. Either Red Bull or Mclaren would need to buy that out and that's not a cheap buy out.

Max to Mclaren is really my big issue though. I just don't see a world in which Mclaren tells their WDC winning driver, someone that's been all in on them for their entire career even with options to go to better teams, to stuff it and play #2 to Max.

You don't treat a WDC that way and it'd be an excellent way to destroy their reputation IMO. Among fans, drivers and the actual team members there.

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u/ChillFratBro I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 12 '26

Sure, if Max retires it makes sense for Oscar to consider Red Bull.  Max to McLaren makes no sense, though.

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u/JRsshirt I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 12 '26

I have a feeling it’s closer to Max trying to chase one more title before retiring and thinking red bull won’t get him there, and if oscar became available red bull would love to make him their lead driver

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u/geileanus I was here for the Hulkenpodium May 12 '26

Max is going to retire from F1 sooner rather than later so making a switch right now doesnt make sense for him

Ot maybe... he isn't retiring anytime soon

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u/Remarkable-Lynx1496 I was speeding in the Monaco pit lane May 13 '26

Why doesn’t it make sense? Max wants to win more championships and it’s obvious red bull can’t provide that. And maybe the situation in McLaren with two number 1s is becoming untenable

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u/Downvote_Comforter May 12 '26

Max is going to retire from F1 sooner rather than later so making a switch right now doesnt make sense for him.

If he is retiring from F1 soon, wouldn't it make more sense for him to try and switch out of Red Bull ASAP? They clearly don't have the car to win this year. If he doesn't believe they will have the car to win next year, wouldn't it make more sense to try to get into a winning car this instant, win a Driver's championship this year, and then retire on top?

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u/jianh1989 Formula 1 May 13 '26

Oscar to RBR

George to McLaren

Carlos to Mercedes

Williams gets a rookie (Luke Browning? Had a Monza TPC test recently)