Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Mark Webber and Formula 1 are once again at the centre of attention after the controversy surrounding the penalty handed to the Australian driver in Brazil. The sanction, issued after the contact with Andrea Kimi Antonelli and, indirectly, Charles Leclerc, turned his fifth-place finish into a setback that complicated his pursuit of the world championship. The case has reignited discussions across the paddock, where many figures have openly criticised both McLaren’s approach and the unwavering public support shown by Webber.
Piastri, the importance of a firm defence
According to former Haas team principal Gunther Steiner, McLaren should have defended its driver far more decisively. Other key figures, including Charles Leclerc himself, also questioned the severity of the ten-second penalty applied by the FIA stewards. Steiner stated that he did not appreciate the cautious posture adopted by McLaren once the decision was announced.
The former Haas boss judged the British team’s reaction as excessively passive. Steiner commented that the question he would have asked was: “Why aren’t you going there and at least saying something to the stewards?”. In his view, McLaren should have backed its driver more forcefully, just as Charles Leclerc did when he openly excluded Oscar Piastri from total responsibility for the incident.
The episode generated contrasting opinions throughout the paddock, with numerous engineers and drivers considering the penalty overly harsh. Leclerc, who was directly involved, had made it clear that he did not wish to blame the McLaren driver entirely. Steiner insisted on this aspect to highlight the value of a firm and coherent defence, adding: “At some point, with all these rules and interpretations, where does the spirit of racing go?”.
Webber should have done more as well
Steiner went further, explaining that if he had been in McLaren’s position, he would have challenged the decision on both technical and psychological grounds. The former team principal admitted he would have reacted strongly, saying that he “would have gone there and gone crazy”. Although he acknowledged having been excessive at times in the past, he reiterated the importance of clearly expressing a team’s point of view: “Will you win? You don’t know. But you must always try”.
He also emphasised that even factory staff draw motivation from seeing the team fighting for its members, arguing that a stronger reaction would have strengthened internal trust. Meanwhile, further criticism came from another notable paddock voice: Ralf Schumacher. The former Formula 1 driver focused on a different angle, pointing directly at Webber’s management.
According to Schumacher, the situation extended beyond McLaren’s actions, revealing deeper issues surrounding the external management of Oscar Piastri. He suggested that tensions began escalating after the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, an event that, according to Oscar Piastri himself, triggered a mental shift that has yet to be resolved.
Is Webber becoming a problem for Oscar?
“For Mark, a nightmare scenario is taking shape,” Ralf Schumacher stated, recalling the 2010 world title lost by Webber to Sebastian Vettel. The German former driver suggested that the current situation of Oscar Piastri symbolically mirrors that disappointment — an uncomfortable but fitting comparison. Schumacher added that the former Red Bull driver may lack the managerial maturity needed to fully protect his driver in critical moments.
He continued by accusing Webber of not taking a clear stance against some unsportsmanlike behaviours displayed by certain fans, drawing a parallel with Steiner’s complaints about the team’s silence. According to Schumacher, “A manager must step forward and say: ‘Guys, the problem is not the team’”. He argued that Webber should have clarified that the current McLaren car naturally favours Lando Norris more and that Oscar Piastri simply needs time to adapt.
Schumacher also added that a manager must handle public communication with greater transparency and self-criticism. In his view, setting the right example would allow Piastri to grow under less external pressure, perhaps through simple but honest messages such as: “I must beat my teammate on track”. Fully understanding what has happened, and what is still happening, to the Australian driver remains extremely complex.
A driver transformed, and a team that failed to react
What remains clear is that Oscar Piastri’s approach to Formula 1 has changed drastically compared to the driver who once led the standings earlier in the season. His usual cold-blooded clarity and strong belief in his abilities appear to have faded. This psychological downturn is proving decisive, preventing him from fighting for what he once openly called a world championship dream.
McLaren, in its attempt to manage the situation calmly, has arguably ended up reinforcing some of his mistakes rather than helping him face them. This lack of guidance, according to critics, is anything but insignificant for a young talent fighting at the top level of Formula 1.
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