Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Autosport
Autosport
Sport

Piastri rubbishes Red Bull F1 rumours after Marko comment

McLaren Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri says he has no intention of seeking Red Bull talks and is "very happy where I am".

Piastri has long been on Red Bull's radar as a future option, and in a recent interview Red Bull driver advisor Helmut Marko said Piastri's manager Mark Webber was keen to have a conversation about the 23-year-old's future.

But Piastri, who has a contract with the Woking-based team until the end of 2026, says he is perfectly happy to stay where he is, having taken his first two career wins in his second season with McLaren this year.

When asked in Mexico if Red Bull was on his horizon for the future, the Australian replied: "Definitely not. I'm very happy where I am.

"I'm under contract for the next two years after this. I'm certainly not looking to go elsewhere.

"It wouldn't be a weekend in F1 without some comments from Helmut."

Piastri, who won in Hungary and Azerbaijan, said he was "not massively" surprised by Red Bull's interest but treated it as a sign of respect.

"It's a nice compliment I would say,” he added. “But again, I'm very happy with where I am and they have quite a big pool of drivers they can choose from."

Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, talks to Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, on the grid (Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images)

Piastri's comments come in the wake of him being asked to support Lando Norris in the drivers' championship, as his team-mate still has a chance to dislodge odds-on title favourite Max Verstappen.

In an interview with Autosport, Verstappen said he would not have accepted backing up his team-mate.

PLUS: Will Piastri prove kingmaker or spoiler in Norris’s F1 title bid?

"Max is a very straightforward guy," Piastri said in Austin about Verstappen's comments. "Says what he thinks, we all know that.

"In my position, I don't see it as being a number one, number two. If I put in good performances and deserve them on merit...

"Baku was a perfect example, really, of not giving up everything this season purely for the benefit of Lando and trying to help the team as best as I can. 

"So, it's not simply number one number two. We still have the same car. We still have the same opportunities. I appreciate [Max's] support, but it's not really how I feel."

Norris' title chances took a hit after finishing behind Verstappen in both Austin's sprint race and grand prix, meaning he now trails the triple world champion by 57 points with five rounds remaining.

Watch: McLaren and Red Bull Summoned by the Stewards - F1 Mexican GP Media Day Reaction

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.