Steiner claims Webber grew too involved before Piastri cut management ties

Guenther Steiner has suggested that Mark Webber became too involved in Oscar Piastri’s affairs during the latter stages of 2025, ultimately prompting the McLaren driver to sever their long-standing management relationship. Piastri and Webber announced the mutual split after the São Paulo Grand Prix, ending an arrangement that dated back to 2019 and had guided the Australian from Formula 3 through to a McLaren race seat.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, the former Haas team principal said the news did not catch him off guard. Webber had already begun stepping back earlier in the season, with Steiner noting he had seen the former Red Bull driver trackside only once or twice across the entire campaign.

“I’m actually not too surprised because, as you said, Mark was not around,” Steiner said. “He was not around. And obviously, he said at the beginning of the year that he would not be beside Oscar anymore as he was in the good old days.”

Steiner pointed specifically to the second half of 2025 — when Piastri’s world championship challenge against McLaren team-mate Lando Norris faded — as the turning point in the relationship. “When Oscar, after he didn’t win the world championship, maybe Mark got a little bit involved too much. And then at some stage, Oscar said, ‘OK, I’m now more experienced. I want to do this on my own.’”

The Austrian also acknowledged that pulling back did not suit Webber’s character. “Mark is not the guy who is like, ‘OK, I’m just sitting on the sidewalk seeing how we are not performing,’” Steiner said, adding that Piastri’s desire for independence was complicated by a sense of obligation. “Oscar maybe wants to cut the ties with Mark, but he owes him a lot. Some of his success is owed to Mark Webber, in my opinion.”

With three rounds remaining in the 2026 season, Piastri sits seventh in the drivers’ championship on 152 points.