Piastri on Mark Webber stepping back from his personal management team

Written by Kavi Khandelwal, Edited by Marit Everett

Oscar Piastri restructures his inner circle for 2026, shifting from mentorship to technical precision after a revealing title fight.

Credit: Formula One

Across three seasons in Formula One, Oscar Piastri’s team at the McLaren garage remained quite consistent. The most influential figure standing there? Mark Webber. He was not just influential in F1, with rivalries such as Multi 21 with teammate Sebastian Vettel coming to mind, but also an influential figure in Piastri’s karting and racing career. 

Webber was often the last person the current Australian driver spoke to before the helmet went on. His role with Piastri was a calculated exercise in protective management. Few rookies enter the pinnacle of motorsport with a multi-time Grand Prix winner directing their trajectory. 

Webber provided lived experience rather than just administrative service, acting as a buffer against the sport’s political volatility. Consequently, when the structure of this inner circle changes, it will carry significant weight for the Australian driver. 

The transition of Webber to a background commercial role ahead of 2026, replaced trackside by technical and mental specialists, signals a necessary shift in Piastri’s career. It marks the moment a protege becomes a self-directed power player. 

During the second week of pre-season testing in Bahrain, Piastri was questioned on whether a specific moment from 2025 led to this switch in his inner circle. “"There wasn't anything specific, we just made a decision for things to look a bit different," He explained. 

The Australian driver went on to elaborate, “Mark is still very much involved and I've been in contact with him a lot over the last few weeks. He just won't be trackside as much anymore. So that's really the extent of it. But yeah, there was nothing specific that triggered it.”

The early architecture

Webber’s significance in Piastri’s career began long before his F1 debut in 2023. Identifying Piastri’s potential in the junior formulas, Webber and his partner Ann Neal provided the financial and strategic armor required for an Australian to survive the European racing ladder.

Webber understood the paddock’s internal politics because he had lived through them, particularly the tensions of being a number two driver. This perspective was vital during the 2022 Alpine contract controversy. 

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When Alpine prematurely announced Piastri as their 2023 driver without a valid agreement, Webber orchestrated the exit with surgical precision. While Alpine leadership publicly attacked Piastri’s integrity, Webber shielded him from the fallout. 

He managed the legal proceedings at the Contract Recognition Board, ensuring Piastri remained focused on his performance while the political battle was settled externally. Webber’s presence provided a national symbolism. It was a direct line of succession, giving Piastri instant credibility with team principles and media alike. 

Built for debut

The primary advantage of Webber’s involvement was the creation of a non-reactive public posture. In an environment where a single poor weekend can trigger intense speculation, Webber served as a media buffer. 

This was essential given the scrutiny from the media and the awkwardness of Piastri replacing his compatriot, Daniel Ricciardo. Webber ensured that the plan for Piastri’s development was transparent and protected from the “race rustiness” that often affects drivers who spend a year on the sidelines, as Piastri did as Alpine’s reserve driver in 2022.

This insulation allowed Piastri to focus entirely on the cockpit. He was able to convert his junior pedigree into nine Grand Prix victories and a Sprint win within his first three seasons. Webber’s involvement provided a steadying hand during the high-pressure debut months, ensuring that the “unflappable” persona Piastri became known for was supported by a secure political foundation.

Webber’s management meant that when the media sought a reaction, they found a wall; when Piastri needed a technical sounding board, he had a nine-time winner at his side. 

Exposed by a title fight

The decision to restructure is a response to the 2025 championship fight. Following a win at Zandvoort, Piastri held a commanding 34-point lead in the championship. However, that lead vanished in the final third of the season as Piastri struggled with errors and a lack of pace on low-grip circuits. 

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This slump led to public criticism from figures like Ralf Schumacher, who claimed Webber lacked the “necessary distance” to manage a title fight fairly against teammate Lando Norris. Schumacher suggested Webber was experiencing “deja vu,” projecting his own 2010 title loss onto Piastri’s campaign. 

Regardless of the validity of that critique, the collapse revealed a need for technical evolution. Piastri noted that he needed to “majorly” change his driving style for certain conditions, adding “new tools to the toolbox” rather than relying on his natural feel. 

The role of a mentor is to help a driver enter the sport; the role of a technician is to help them conquer it. Piastri does not need to protect a future seat, especially after signing a long-term contract with McLaren. He is shaping his status as a championship contender, and possibly a championship winner as well. 

Engineering autonomy

The restructure for 2026 is a move toward technical independence. By adding Portuguese engineer Pedro Matos to his personal structure, Piastri is creating an independent data-analysis unit. Matos, who stood alongside Piastri in his 2021 F2 title as his race engineer, provides a technical synergy that avoids team-wide bottlenecks. 

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Similarly, the expanded role of mental coach Emma Murray at the track addresses the psychological resilience needed to sustain a season-long title fight. 

When a driver adjusts peripheral staff, it is procedural. When he adjusts a structure anchored by a former F1 winner, it is philosophical. It suggests a shift from guidance to autonomy as the Australian becomes more confident and comfortable in F1. 

This move mirrors precedents set by champions like Lewis Hamilton, who famously separated from his father’s management in 2010 to become “his own man.” 

For Piastri, the 2026 regulations represent one of the biggest resets in F1 history, requiring mastery over complex energy management and new driving styles. Piastri has identified that he needs a technical team, not just a mentor, to navigate and conquer this new era.