Mark Webber may no longer be ‘allowed’ in McLaren hospitality building in F1 paddock

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Oscar Piastri’s manager, Mark Webber, is now considered persona non grata in the McLaren F1 motorhome, journalist Jack Martens has claimed.

It emerged during testing that Piastri had reshuffled his management, moving Webber into a business-focused role and recruiting former F2 engineer Pedro Matos to help during the race weekends.

Addressing the change, Piastri says he’s no longer as reliant on Webber because he’s more experienced in F1. The McLaren driver made his 75th race start at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last weekend.

Does Oscar Piastri still need Mark Webber at McLaren?

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Has Mark Webber had a ‘big fight’ with McLaren F1 management?

There were some rumours that McLaren had instigated Piastri’s rejig after what was apparently a tense year behind the scenes. A number of controversial team decisions went against the Australian.

Piastri always said that the team treated him fairly, but Martens claims that Webber saw it differently, which caused ‘fights’ behind the scenes.

As a result, he believes that the 49-year-old is no longer allowed to enter the McLaren hospitality building in the paddock.

However, Webber is said to be negotiating with Red Bull, his former team, over Piastri potentially replacing Max Verstappen. With a performance-related exit clause likely to come into play this summer, Verstappen is considering his future.

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“On the top of the list [at Red Bull] is Oscar Piastri’s name,” Martens said on the Paddock Access podcast. “They’ve already spoken with each other. We know that Mark Webber is the manager of Oscar Piastri, even though we don’t see him at the track anymore.

“I think he’s not allowed in the McLaren hospitality. McLaren don’t want him around Oscar Piastri anymore at the track.

“Last year was a little heated. Oscar Piastri had the feeling that he got screwed at the team, that they favoured Lando Norris.

“Mark Webber got himself into a lot of fights, I think, with the McLaren bosses. Since then, we haven’t seen Mark Webber on track.

“But we know he’s Oscar Piastri’s manager. We know he’s tied to Red Bull as well. He has a past in Red Bull Racing. It only makes sense that they are talking to each other – not over the second seat, not next to Max Verstappen, but instead of Max Verstappen.”

F1 Oversteer has contacted McLaren for comment.