Oscar Piastri‘s ascension to the highest of the Formulation 1 world has been fast to say the least. That he is nonetheless solely in his third season beggars perception.
However there’s a not-so-secret weapon within the younger Melburnian’s arsenal that no one else on the grid has, and he is placing it to good use – Mark Webber.
Since retiring from F1 on the finish of 2013, he is turned to punditry with Channel 4 within the UK. And collectively together with his spouse Anne, is Piastri’s supervisor and mentor.
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Whereas Anne manages the administration facet of issues, Mark is his racing mentor. And his fingerprints are everywhere in the 24-year-old’s driving type.
Webber was fearless in quick corners. He famously overtook Fernando Alonso with one hand off the steering wheel across the exterior through the Belgian Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri with supervisor Mark Webber through the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix weekend. Getty
Piastri has now put two strikes on Lewis Hamilton within the first 5 races of the season that seemed like classic Webber. The primary was across the exterior on the ultra-quick flip 9 on the ultimate lap in Melbourne for ninth. The second simply this weekend at Saudi Arabia, across the exterior by the mud after his pit cease.
“He clearly has little concern in quick corners, even across the exterior of someone of Lewis’ calibre,” Martin Brundle wrote of the Saudi Arabia transfer in his column for Sky Sports activities.
It is becoming then that together with his win in Jeddah, Piastri change into the primary Australian since Webber himself in 2010 to steer the drivers championship.
He by no means gained the title, though arguably ought to’ve in 2010, however Webber did all the things else. The teachings discovered from his 215 race begins and 9 grand prix victories are invaluable to any younger driver who, like Piastri, has expertise to burn and the temperament of a monk.
Piastri is the primary Australian since Webber to steer the drivers’ standings. Getty
Like Webber, Piastri is unflappable underneath stress. Two of his three race victories have been when he is not been the sooner of the 2 McLaren drivers.
In China, Norris made two errors in qualifying that allowed Piastri to take pole. In Saudi Arabia it was a lot the identical. Norris had seemed the faster of the 2 however threw his automobile into the wall within the ultimate a part of qualifying and consigned himself to a P10 begin.
In each circumstances, as soon as the chips had been down, Norris made errors. Piastri didn’t.
For proof of Webber’s affect, look no additional than Liam Lawson.
Demoted from Pink Bull again to Racing Bulls after simply two races, Lawson has been crushed by teammate Isack Hadjar in every of the three races since.
With Lawson’s confidence little question shot, a mentor like Webber may show the distinction in his regaining the shape he displayed in his cameos in 2023 and 2024, and fading into obscurity as one other expertise unfulfilled.
In Supercars, Kiwi gun and former Holden ace Greg Murphy is filling such a task for younger compatriot Ryan Wooden. Murphy additionally beforehand mentored Nick Cassidy, who went on to carve a profitable profession in sports activities automobiles.
“I personally completely consider that is Liam Lawson’s greatest drawback proper now – he would not have anybody,” he stated on the Apex Hunters United podcast.
“Present me one other F1 driver in the mean time that has a Mark Webber doing what Mark Webber is doing. Liam’s acquired no one – he is acquired some folks that have helped him again right here in New Zealand form of operating the ship, (however) they’re less than it.
“He wants somebody who’s completely in-tune, networked, has the telephone numbers, can speak to anyone, has the respect.
“(Webber) could be within the McLaren crew in the way in which he’s as a result of they need Oscar to carry out at his best possible. Effectively, what are all of the instruments we want for that? Mark Webber is one in every of them … it is simply so apparent.”
McLaren thought Lando Norris could be its finest probability at successful its first drivers’ title since 1999, however they would not have counted on the Aussie’s fast improvement as a driver.
In his rookie season, managing tyre life was his Achilles heel. Final yr, it was qualifying tempo. Smoked by Norris 20-4 within the qualifying head-to-head final season, Piastri leads 3-2 from the opening 5 races. On the 2 events he was slower, he was lower than a tenth behind.
Alan Jones was the final Aussie world champion in 1980. Oscar Piastri in 2025 represents the very best probability of ending that drought.
There are few within the paddock who would argue Max Verstappen shouldn’t be nonetheless the benchmark driver on the grid. In a Pink Bull automobile that is proving tough at finest to wrangle, Verstappen nonetheless managed to take a shock pole and race victory in Japan.
He simply would possibly’ve repeated that in Jeddah if not for the penalty for that lap one transfer. Alas, he made the transfer, paid the value, and did not win the race.
Piastri gained his third race of the season, and the fifth of his profession in simply his 51st begin.
Do the mathematics – 10 per cent of the races he is began, he is gained.
And he’ll solely get higher.
