Damon Hill shares what Mark Webber must do for Oscar Piastri behind the scenes at McLaren

Follow us on Google Discover

Oscar Piastri’s hopes of sealing the 2025 Formula 1 title are fading fast as teammate Lando Norris builds momentum down the stretch.

It has been two and a half months since the Aussie appeared on the podium, doing so for the last time at a controversial Italian Grand Prix where McLaren were the subject of strong criticism.

Since then, Piastri’s lead in the drivers’ championship has slowly dwindled, before Norris took complete control in Mexico City a few weeks ago.

His manager, Mark Webber, found himself in a similar title fight back in 2010, and his fellow countryman may have a lot of advice to offer him. It’s important that he listens now more than ever.

McLaren have internally changed their minds about Piastri and some of the mistakes he has made throughout the season.

Piastri benefitted from Norris ‘underperforming’ according to a senior member of staff at the Woking-based outfit, which feels like a harsh realisation.

READ MORE: Ralf Schumacher ‘can tell’ Oscar Piastri is not being fully honest about Lando Norris relationship

Damon Hill tells Mark Webber to ‘guide’ Oscar Piastri amid McLaren struggles

Piastri’s relationship with McLaren may ‘sour’, according to Juan Pablo Montoya, who has experience of a similar situation before.

There have been rumours before that McLaren favours Norris, which have been denied multiple times this season.

In recent weeks, there has been a worrying change in Piastri’s body language. Now, he must find a way to fight the adversity he hasn’t really faced like this before.

1996 Formula 1 champion Damon Hill has urged his manager, Webber, to make sure he guides him through the remainder of the season.

“Mark is able to guide him and give him some encouragement, hopefully, on that side of things,” he told the Daily Express. “You do need to draw on resources as a driver.

“It can be quite a lonely place if you don’t have someone whose brain you can pick. You certainly can’t go around the place asking everyone, you have to have trusted advisors.”

READ MORE: Guenther Steiner says Oscar Piastri ‘will’ leave McLaren once his contract ends

Why Oscar Piastri’s 2025 F1 title hopes have faded with three races to go

It may seem harsh that Piastri is almost being written off with three races to go, but it’s the order in which they arrive that doesn’t help him.

Next up is Las Vegas, which is a place where both he and his team have struggled over the last few years. It’s a low-grip surface, which doesn’t suit them.

Norris has shown why Las Vegas could be a disaster for his teammate and has battled woes of his own there, including a crash in 2023.

After last week’s difficult outing in Brazil, Webber promised to get Piastri ‘turned around’, but he can’t make the car go faster. There’s only one man who can do that, and it has to happen soon.

READ MORE: Oscar Piastri ‘wasn’t a fan’ of one modification McLaren made to his car at the Brazilian GP