The Formula 1 paddock has been thrown into turmoil following the conclusion of a dramatic 2025 season, with a bombshell claim suggesting that the driver market is about to be turned on its head. While the headlines should belong to Lando Norris, who successfully claimed the World Championship, the focus has shifted to the dark cloud hovering over the other side of the McLaren garage. According to former Grand Prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya, Oscar Piastri and his manager, Mark Webber, are not just unhappy—they are already in active talks with rival teams to secure an exit from Woking.
The Guarantee That Shook the Paddock
In a sport where rumors are currency, few statements carry the weight of a “guarantee” from a figure as outspoken as Juan Pablo Montoya. Speaking in a candid interview following the season finale, the Colombian ex-racer dropped a grenade into the post-season calm. “I guarantee you that Oscar Piastri and Mark Webber are already talking to another F1 team,” Montoya declared.
This is not merely speculation about a driver testing the waters; it is an assertion that the trust between Piastri and McLaren has fundamentally fractured. The catalyst for this potential split appears to be deeply rooted in the team’s management of the 2025 championship battle—a battle that saw Piastri go from leading the standings to finishing a distant third, watching his teammate lift the trophy he felt was within his grasp.
The Monza Betrayal: A Turning Point
To understand the severity of the situation, one must look back to the pivotal moment at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. At that stage of the season, Piastri was flying high, having won seven races in the first half of the campaign and holding a commanding 34-point advantage over Norris. He was the man to beat.
However, the dynamic shifted violently when McLaren issued a controversial team order asking Piastri to move aside for Norris. The team justified the decision by citing a need to maintain parity after Norris suffered from a slow pit stop strategy. To Piastri, and to many observers, it felt like a violation of the “let them race” status quo. The psychological impact was immediate and devastating.
Montoya points to this moment as the beginning of the end for Piastri’s title charge. The Australian was visibly unhappy with the instruction, and the mental scars lingered long after the checkered flag waved in Italy.
The Downward Spiral
The aftermath of Monza was nothing short of catastrophic for the 24-year-old Australian. In the subsequent round at Baku, Piastri admitted the events of Italy were still playing on his mind. The result was his worst weekend of the campaign, marred by two crashes and a false start.
The slide continued relentlessly. Across the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix, Piastri struggled to find grip and rhythm, managing only a pair of fifth-place finishes. In a stunning reversal of fortune, he failed to win a single race in the final nine rounds of the season. The 47-point swing against him was brutal. By the time the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concluded, his 34-point lead had transformed into a 13-point deficit, and he had been leapfrogged not only by Norris but also by Max Verstappen.
Montoya’s analysis suggests this collapse wasn’t just about car performance; it was a crisis of confidence and a reaction to a perceived lack of support. “Mark isn’t very happy with McLaren,” Montoya noted, “but the question is whether Oscar is very unhappy with McLaren.”
The Mark Webber Factor: History Repeating Itself?
Perhaps the most intriguing element of this saga is the role of Mark Webber. Piastri’s manager is no stranger to the bitterness of team favoritism. During his time at Red Bull Racing alongside Sebastian Vettel (2009-2013), Webber famously battled against a team culture he felt was biased toward the German champion. The “Multi 21” saga and the “not bad for a number two driver” comments are etched into F1 history.
Montoya warns that Webber’s personal scars might be influencing the current situation. “I think they need to be careful and make sure that Webber’s scars from his time as a race car driver have nothing to do with Oscar’s career,” he cautioned.
Is Webber seeing history repeat itself? Watching another young Australian talent lead a championship only to be sidelined for a chosen favorite might be triggering a defensive reaction. If Webber believes McLaren is molding itself around Norris—much like Red Bull did around Vettel—he may be aggressively pushing for a move to protect his client’s future.
Where Could Piastri Go?
If the talks Montoya “guarantees” are happening result in a move, where could a talent like Piastri land? The implications would be seismic for the 2026 grid.
Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has weighed in, suggesting Red Bull Racing as a potential, albeit complicated, destination. The idea of Piastri partnering with Max Verstappen is tantalizing, though Herbert questions if Piastri would want to jump from the frying pan into the fire of another intense teammate rivalry. “Would he want to go into that environment?” Herbert asked.
Aston Martin also looms as a dark horse. With massive investment in state-of-the-art facilities and the inevitable retirement of Fernando Alonso on the horizon, the Lawrence Stroll-owned team could be looking for their next franchise driver.
McLaren’s Defense and the Road Ahead
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has moved quickly to extinguish the flames of speculation. In the wake of Norris’s title win, Brown publicly reaffirmed the team’s commitment to Piastri, calling him a future world champion who would win “multiple titles” with the team. These comments were clearly designed to present a united front, but in the shark tank of Formula 1, public votes of confidence often precede private divorces.
The reality remains that Piastri is under contract, and no official announcement has been made. However, the smoke is getting thicker. The combination of a mental collapse, contentious team orders, and a manager with a history of fighting team politics creates a volatile mix.
The 2026 season was supposed to be about McLaren defending a title. Instead, it might be defined by a civil war or a shock departure. As Montoya bluntly put it, Piastri needs to learn from this. “It’s a good lesson for him that what he’s doing isn’t good enough… and that he needs to figure out how to get the team to work better and faster around him.”
Whether he tries to apply that lesson at McLaren or in the colors of a rival team remains the biggest question of the off-season. One thing is certain: if Oscar Piastri walks away from a championship-winning car, it will be the biggest driver market shock of the decade.
