Mark Webber does not share the criticism directed at Oscar Piastri for his overtaking move on teammate Lando Norris in Monza.
According to Mark Webber, despite criticisms that Piastri’s move on Norris during the first lap of the Italian Grand Prix damaged his teammate’s championship chances, it reflected Piastri’s reputation as a “respectful, hard, and clean” racer. Pole sitter Norris defended his lead with determination and immediately moved right to block his teammate Piastri at the first chicane.
Piastri, however, took the inside line, and with better speed, he executed a superb late braking maneuver to overtake Norris on the outside and take the lead.
The move was somewhat surprising as many expected McLaren to implement team orders in Norris’s favor to close the gap to Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship. After this unexpected overtaking, Norris also lost position to Charles Leclerc, with the Monégasque driver winning the race. Some criticized Piastri for sacrificing the team’s result in pursuit of personal success.
However, Webber, who has managed Piastri since 2020 and is a nine-time Grand Prix winner, viewed the maneuver as aggressive but fair.
In the Formula for Success podcast, Webber said, “Respectful, hard, clean… We saw that in Turn 4 at Monza this weekend. Making that pass at that braking point was another success for him.”
The move was particularly impressive in terms of control. The Roggia chicane had seen spins by overly eager drivers with cold tires, but Piastri’s move was flawless. It demonstrated Piastri’s precise driving style and marked him as one of the future greats of the sport.
Webber noted, “I always heard that Lewis Hamilton was tough but fair in karting.”
“I’m not putting Oscar in Lewis’s category; he needs to earn that, of course. Lewis has over 100 GP wins; Oscar is still at the beginning of his journey.”
“However, right now, thanks to his performances in junior categories… His race craft during the week and on weekends shows an incredibly low damage bill.”
“I think he has always had respect from the other drivers in junior series, and he receives that respect. He wants to be respected. He just wants to earn his stripes, get out there, and let his driving do the talking, and he has done that very well over the past five years.”
Webber also mentioned that Piastri’s sharpness was even more impressive given that he had not raced throughout the 2022 season as Alpine’s reserve driver.
“Oscar performed extraordinarily in junior categories.”
“He entered F1 with a 15-month gap and had not raced for a long time, which was challenging.”
“That’s what any racing driver has to do. Whether you’re an orthopedic surgeon or a racing driver, you need to keep practicing your profession.”
“Oscar had that gap, so I think it was a big step for him to enter Formula 1 last year. We know from junior categories that he repeatedly showed he was ready to race at the front against the big names, and he did very well.”
Piastri’s rapid progress in Formula 1 has become an unexpected headache for McLaren, which had reservations about naming Norris as the lead driver to close the gap to Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship.
Norris is 62 points behind and could still win the title regardless of other results. While Piastri is mathematically 106 points behind Verstappen, he would need a stroke of bad luck to close the gap.
Meanwhile, McLaren is just eight points behind Red Bull Racing in the Constructors’ Championship. Webber praised the team’s progress but warned that despite having a fast car, achieving the championship might be tougher than the points difference suggests.
“I think we all agree that McLaren’s rise has been absolutely remarkable.”
“What they have done in the last 18 months is extraordinary.”
“Zak Brown and Andrea Stella are doing a fantastic job. They are doing a great job. It’s not a coincidence.”
“The team is in a great position to frequently challenge for wins, but it’s still tough to achieve them.”
“These young drivers think about winning Grand Prix, thinking ‘Give me a good car and I’ll go and win races,’ but it’s still very tough.”
“Oscar has raced 38 times, while Lando has been there for six years, yet there are three wins between them.”
“It’s a really difficult situation to manage.”
