Key change to Oscar Piastri backroom team announced as ex-F1 driver steps back

Oscar Piastri will see a difference in the dynamic of his management setup this year, as former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber will be stepping back from being at every Grand Prix.

The Australian arrives into the 2026 season looking to make progress on what was a near miss in 2025, having ultimately lost the Drivers’ title after having led for many months during the campaign.

By his side out of the car often stands Webber, who has been his manager – along with Webber’s partner and his manager Ann Neal – for a number of years.

But a tweak to the Piastri team has been made, with Webber now not attending all races, and will now focus mostly on commercial interests for his driver.

The gap will be filled by Pedro Matos, his 2021 Formula 2 race engineer.

Piastri will be hoping that rivising the team will ensure the right support to guarantee a maximisation of his chances in 2026, having lost out on the title to team-mate Lando Norris.

McLaren did indeed set the early pace, with Norris taking top spot on Day 1 of the first official pre-season testing programme at the Bahrain International Circuit, with Piastri fifth, just under one second off the reigning champion’s lap time.