Ferrari is reportedly considering Oscar Piastri as a potential successor to Lewis Hamilton when the seven-time Formula 1 champion eventually leaves the team or retires. The Australian driver currently leads the 2025 drivers‘ championship, driving for McLaren, and has drawn comparisons to F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
This speculation follows McLaren’s controversial driver swap during the Italian Grand Prix, where the team ordered Piastri to yield second place back to teammate Lando Norris after Norris experienced a slow pit stop. Since Norris had held P2 for much of the race and Piastri was unable to catch him, Piastri complied with the instructions in the final laps.
During post-race interviews, Piastri defended the team’s decision as fair and aligned with McLaren’s interests. However, in a podcast discussion on Cortito y al Pie hosted by Roldan Rodriguez, Spanish journalist Fabio Marchi noted that McLaren appears to favor Norris, which could prompt Piastri to consider leaving the team.
Marchi also revealed that Ferrari is closely monitoring Piastri as a strong candidate to replace Hamilton in the future.
“But what is clear is that if, for example, Ferrari, when Hamilton leaves… I was talking to an Italian journalist the other day, and he didn’t hesitate. He says, ‘Well, I’ve already heard things that Ferrari was keeping an eye on Piastri,'” Marchi said.
“I mean, if Piastri gets angry within the team, he won’t hesitate to go to another great team. So, I think that McLaren also has to know how to manage the egos of its two drivers,” he added.
Lewis Hamilton is scheduled to join Ferrari under a multi-year contract starting in 2025, a transition Piastri described as
“the biggest driver move that’s happened ever.”
Despite rumors, a near-term move for Piastri to Ferrari appears unlikely, since he extended his contract with McLaren earlier this year.
Though Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari has been underwhelming, the 40-year-old is expected to continue racing through the 2026 regulations change, as he aims to evaluate Ferrari’s competitiveness before considering retirement.
Oscar Piastri’s Perspective on Comparisons to Michael Schumacher
Oscar Piastri is currently favored to clinch the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ championship ahead of his teammate Lando Norris. His calm and composed approach has been recognized as a key factor in his strong intra-team rivalry with Norris.
A decisive moment in the championship came at the Dutch Grand Prix, where Piastri secured victory after Norris’s car suffered a mechanical failure while running second. This increased Piastri’s championship lead from 9 points to 34 points.
At the press conference in Zandvoort following the race, Piastri was asked about being likened to Michael Schumacher, a seven-time World Champion and Ferrari icon.
“Anytime you get mentioned in the same sentence as Michael Schumacher, that’s a good thing. I’ve got a hell of a long way to go to be talked about in the same air as someone like him, but I’ll take it,” the McLaren driver said.
Following McLaren’s team orders at the Italian Grand Prix, Piastri’s lead over Norris narrowed slightly, dropping from 34 to 31 points. Given the intensity of their title fight, the championship battle is expected to remain fierce as the 2025 season progresses.
