LONDON : McLaren Formula One driver Oscar Piastri and fellow Australians Mark and Ann Webber have ended their management partnership by mutual agreement, they said on Monday.
Nine-times grand prix winner Mark Webber began working with Piastri in 2019 and played a key role in securing his move to McLaren in 2023, rather than taking up a race seat with Alpine, where he had been part of the team’s junior programme.
Alpine had sought to promote Piastri after double world champion Fernando Alonso announced his departure for Aston Martin, but the Australian rejected the offer, triggering a contractual dispute that was eventually resolved in favour of McLaren.
“We are proud to have played a pivotal role in the formative years of Oscar’s career and to have placed him in F1 so that he could compete at the front so early in,” Webber said in a statement.
“Following our reduced trackside involvement this season, we have collectively agreed that now is an appropriate time to bring our management agreement to a close.
“This will allow Oscar to build on his achievements under a new management structure and for us to embark on our new ventures.”
Piastri, who won consecutive Formula Three and Formula Two titles in 2020 and 2021 before making his Formula One debut in 2023, thanked the Webbers for their support, describing their guidance as invaluable.
The Australian has endured a difficult season after challenging for the drivers’ championship last year before being overtaken by McLaren team mate Lando Norris and finishing third overall.
Piastri has yet to win a race this season and finished sixth at Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix. He has not reached the podium in 16 races and sits seventh in the 2026 drivers’ standings.
