Even though Lando Norris finds himself chasing Max Verstappen for the World championship, his teammate Oscar Piastri has insisted that he would be prioritizing winning races over helping the Briton. F1 expert Harry Benjamin feels Piastri coming out to stand for himself has been down to his mentor Mark Webber’s advice.
Piastri, known for his stoic nature, was not initially seen as assertive within McLaren. He was regarded as the team’s number two driver, seemingly content with the role. However, he expressed his ambitions more openly over time, sharing his desire to win races and championships.
“I wonder just how much, Webber has imparted onto Piastri- his knowledge, his experience,” Benjamin said on the F1: Chequered Flag podcast. “…sort of, laying down the marker for Piastri to go, ‘Well, you need to start asserting yourself within this team.'”
Webber knows all too well the challenges of being treated as a second driver. He was Sebastian Vettel’s teammate during the German driver’s dominant F1 run from 2010 to 2013, where Red Bull openly prioritized Vettel, making Webber’s time difficult. Now, he is determined to ensure that Piastri doesn’t face the same situation.
The ex-Red Bull driver has supported Piastri every step of the way since his junior career. He helped him break into F1. Now, he wants Piastri to focus on making a name for himself in the sport.
Webber got Piastri to F1
Piastri, one of motorsports’ brightest young talents, spent a year on the sidelines after winning the F2 championship in 2021. He served as Alpine’s reserve driver, and when Fernando Alonso announced his move to Aston Martin for 2023, the Enstone-based team named Piastri as his replacement.
However, Piastri took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that no agreement had been reached with Alpine. In a few months he joined McLaren, a move orchestrated by Webber.
Oscar Piastri Spain Mark Webber pic.twitter.com/rCD3lvhDww
— The Race (@wearetherace) July 21, 2024
In hindsight, it was a masterstroke. While Alpine fell into disarray a few years later, Piastri began competing for wins with McLaren
Piastri has always looked up to Webber, who has played a pivotal role in shaping the Melbourne-born driver’s career. As a result, Piastri highly values Webber’s opinion. If the 48-year-old advised his protege to stand up for himself, Piastri would likely follow that advice.
