Oscar Piastri, for now, doesn’t need to play a supporting role to Lando Norris, who is currently the only serious challenger to Max Verstappen in the title race. That’s not in his DNA. “You can see the hunger in his eyes,” says Mark Webber, Piastri’s manager.
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was a student heading to lectures as he walks into the paddock. Polite, cheerful gaze, and always accompanied by his inseparable backpack. You never hear him swearing over the radio, and he rarely uses strong language in interviews. Oscar Piastri (23) is ‘somewhat reserved’ according to his manager Mark Webber. But far from boring, he quickly adds. “Oscar is not in Formula 1 to make headlines.”
On Sunday afternoon, July 21, 2024, Piastri won his first Grand Prix in Formula 1 in Hungary, after just 35 races. McLaren realized years ago that the Australian has exceptional potential, after he won three championships in a row in the feeder series (Formula Renault Euro Cup, Formula 3, and Formula 2). Alpine recognized this too: they contracted him as a test and reserve driver in 2022. But when the French racing stable offered Piastri a promotion a year later, he left for McLaren after a lot of legal wrangling. A choice that seems to have been right and decisive for his future.
“Oscar is extremely fast, mature, and technically well-versed,” says Zak Brown, McLaren’s top executive. “But also calm,” the American adds. “Oscar has everything you want to see in a driver, but don’t always see. His racing skills and tire management will only improve with experience,” Brown believes. “Oscar shows all the signs of a future world champion.”
According to Mark Webber, who has been guiding Piastri for over five years now, his compatriot was well-prepared for the task awaiting him in Formula 1. “The team has made such tremendous progress. For Oscar, this is a fantastic experience, as he knows that at this stage of your career, you don’t always have the right equipment at your disposal.”
Webber’s Pride in Guiding Rising Star Piastri
Webber takes great pride in his sole client. In 2018, Piastri’s parents approached him, asking if he would mentor their son. “Anne (his wife) and I had a meeting in Melbourne. What immediately struck us was how genuine this family is. Good people,” says Webber. “Both his father and mother. And then, of course, there’s Oscar himself. You can immediately sense how composed he is, how well put together. Just a really nice guy, but you can see the hunger in his eyes. In the end, we decided to do it. I mainly help Oscar with the technical and team aspects, while Anne does a lot of work behind the scenes.”
Webber’s Exception for Piastri
According to Webber, he and his wife made an exception for Piastri. He never aspired to the role of manager after his own Formula 1 career. “We have been approached before to help drivers,” Webber admits. “Even from Formula 1. We always refused. But with Oscar, our gut feeling told us it would be fun to help him. It would have been foolish not to assist such a talent.” He laughs, “And of course, it’s nice that he’s an Aussie too.”
Piastri’s Humble Approach to Stardom
Like Webber, Piastri shies away from stardom and complacency. Winning is in his DNA. Consider his cool-down lap in Hungary, after his first Grand Prix victory in Formula 1. He celebrated in a controlled, civilized, and modest manner. No antics or minutes-long screaming over the team radio. Piastri knew that his day would come in Formula 1, it seemed as if he was prepared. “Oscar is somewhat reserved,” says Webber. “But he’s still young and knows very well what he wants. He doesn’t often look back.”
Piastri’s Future Focus
Piastri, Webber assures, is solely focused on his future impact. He wants to progress faster than sometimes possible, which clashes with his ambitions. “For him, it’s about winning, not social media or anything else. I know he doesn’t like me saying this, but we need to give him time to grow,” believes Webber. “Oscar is very mature for his age, but still young. He will become stronger and stronger in all areas, we just have to accept that it takes time. We can’t press a fast-forward button and set the counter to 150 Grand Prix. This is a long-term project and there will be bumps along the way.”
Webber’s Surprise at Piastri’s Rapid Progress
Mark, are you surprised that everything is going so smoothly? “Look, we all know he’s talented. But the speed at which things are happening… What I think has been important is that every time he was thrown in at the deep end in the junior classes, he came out on top. He could swim. McLaren has given Oscar tremendous support in his debut year, everyone from top to bottom believes in him. That’s wonderful, of course, but you have to deliver. McLaren needs two good drivers in the car. But Oscar was ready for the leap and well-prepared.”
Is Oscar a better driver than you were?
Laughs: “Easy question: absolutely, no doubt about it. I don’t believe I was better than Piastri in any aspect. Not one… And certainly not at that age. I was nowhere near as advanced at that stage of my life.”
What can you add with all your experience?
“The usual, general things. We help him with whatever we can, do everything to make his work as easy as possible. That’s also our duty. Look, McLaren is a team with a lot of experience, we have a lot of experience. Oscar is the least experienced man in the entire team, no, the entire organization. So yes, we’re all here to help him. He doesn’t ask me a lot, he likes to figure things out on his own. Of course, we have discussions, but I never patronize him. He takes the space when he needs it. And that’s how it should be. We are, I think, a good match.”
Two calm Australian guys.
“Oscar has people skills, it takes time to earn his trust. He’s also someone who firmly has both feet on the ground. He’s putting together all the puzzle pieces for what his job entails. That takes time and experience. Oscar is a pretty balanced person, thinks a lot about his work. He will eventually develop his own style and technique, do things his way and not Charles’ (Leclerc) or Max’s (Verstappen) way. In three years, he will have found a way that suits him best. And he is smart and wise enough to take advantage of the opportunities he will get to perform at his best. Again, it’s about the long haul.”
Hence the quick contract extension last year until the end of 2026.
“McLaren knows what they have in Piastri. That extension was actually a formality. Stability is very important in this first phase of his career. He feels at home in this team, he loves Woking (McLaren’s base). The people adore him, from the marketing department to the shareholders. When you see him, he’s a cool, fun guy. But when the visor goes down, he becomes a totally different person. Make no mistake: Oscar is extremely ambitious.”
