Oscar Piastri-Mark Webber Split: A Look at Their Partnership Over the Years

Oscar Piastri has left the management team that helped steer him into Formula 1. A statement released on behalf of the McLaren driver on Monday, after the Brazilian Grand Prix, said Piastri and the team headed by ex-F1 driver Mark Webber and Ann Neal had mutually ended their agreement.

While the F1 world waits to see what the new management structure will look like, we take a look back at the partnership that came to a close in Brazil.

It all began in 2019, when Webber signed Piastri via JAM Sports Management, right after the Australian driver had won the Formula Renault Eurocup. The following year, Piastri would climb to the top of the Formula 3 ladder, taking the championship under Webber’s guidance. Then, in 2021, Piastri would continue with his immense success, as he became the Formula 2 champion in his rookie season.

2022 saw a tumultuous incident unfold, with Piastri being subject to a chaotic situation. While Alpine had already announced the Australian driver’s arrival at their camp for the 2023 season, Piastri would decline the move and move to McLaren instead. Webber remained a key instrument in the orchestration of the entire debacle, with the FIA ultimately ruling in favor of the Aussie.

2023 would see Piastri make his F1 debut with McLaren, replacing Daniel Ricciardo under Webber’s guidance. And in the following two years, he would earn crucial podiums and race wins to help McLaren win back-to-back constructors’ championships before ending his alliance with Webber in 2026.

Why Oscar Piastri Ended His Partnership With Mark Webber

While the timing of the move may have come as a surprise to most, the writing had been on the wall since February this year. Piastri had already hinted at a change in the overall setup in his management team, with Webber taking on a more behind-the-scenes approach rather than being present trackside.

“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. There was nothing specific that triggered it,” Piastri had said at the time.

And in a statement released after the Brazil race, Webber detailed that part of the reason for the split was his reduced trackside role. While the split now gives the McLaren driver the chance to build a partnership with new management, it also allows Webber and Ann to work on new ventures of their own.

Meanwhile, Piastri’s side of the statement thanked Webber and Ann for their service and guidance in the early part of his racing career. He said that their involvement was invaluable in bringing him to the F1 grid and wished them luck for their future ventures.

Mark Webber Brought Oscar Piastri to McLaren

Webber’s biggest move as Piastri’s manager came in 2022, when the latter had just won back-to-back titles in F3 and F2. Backed by Alpine at the time, Piastri was still without a guaranteed seat in F1, with Alpine exploring the option to loan him to Williams at the time.

Unhappy with the offer, Webber would turn down the proposal and push for a McLaren seat instead, cutting ties with Alpine. The French outfit were not going to allow it that easily and ended up announcing the inclusion of Piastri in their 2023 lineup. However, the deal was far from done between the parties involved, and Webber had landed concrete confirmation with McLaren by then.

Having caught Alpine off guard, Piastri signed a contract with the Woking-based team, and while Alpine tried their best to undo the move, the FIA ruled it completely legal. The gamble ultimately paid off as Piastri scored a podium as a rookie, won his first race in 2024, and narrowly missed the 2025 world title.

More F1 Reading

• George Russell Owns His Bizarre Pit Exit Spin at Interlagos but Can’t Say What Caused It
• Oscar Piastri Cuts Ties With Mark Webber’s Management After Seven Years Together
• One Day After Lando Norris’ Win, Select Fans Can Already Buy 2027 Sao Paulo GP Tickets on Presale
• ‘We Are Getting Used to P21 to P2’: Laurent Mekies Hails Max Verstappen’s Interlagos Fightback