Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s Formula 1 driver, has reorganized his management structure as he prepares for the 2026 F1 season, with Mark Webber stepping back from his previous role. This shift comes after mounting pressure from McLaren following last season’s contentious decisions, particularly around race strategies that appeared to disadvantage Piastri.
The Australian missed out on the world championship, falling behind his teammate Lando Norris in part due to McLaren’s position-swap call at Monza, a move that Piastri’s camp believed worked against his title hopes. These issues reportedly contributed to the management shake-up within Piastri’s team.
New Roles for Mark Webber and Pedro Matos in Piastri’s Team
Mark Webber, who previously held a more hands-on management role, is now expected to focus primarily on commercial and contractual matters. Meanwhile, Pedro Matos, Piastri’s former engineer, will become more involved in race weekends and technical support. Matos has been closely connected with Piastri since his early career in Formula 2 and Formula 3, reinforcing continuity amidst the changes.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher and journalist Peter Hardenacke have publicly weighed in on this adjustment. Schumacher described significant internal pressure between Piastri’s camp and McLaren during the last season, which helped drive the decision to alter the management team to foster greater calm and improved collaboration.
Internal Strain Between McLaren and Piastri’s Team
On the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast, Schumacher commented,
“After last year, from what I’ve heard, it was very important to McLaren that Piastri had a different manager this year to bring more calm. So, there’s a lot going on right now.”
This highlights the tension that surrounded Piastri’s relationship with McLaren as the 2025 season concluded.
Hardenacke added insight into this dynamic, noting that although Webber will remain involved, his role has shifted predominantly to behind-the-scenes contractual work. He said,
“Someone else will be at the track, someone who has been with Oscar Piastri for a long time, since his Formula 2 and Formula 3 days. So, they know each other well.”
He further remarked,
“The relationship between Zak Brown and Mark Webber had cooled, so to speak.”
— Peter Hardenacke, Journalist
This statement suggests a deterioration in working relations between McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown and Webber, which likely influenced the restructuring of Piastri’s management.
Insights on Formula 1’s Upcoming Race Start Challenges
Beyond management changes, the pre-season testing for 2026 has featured significant discussion about safety concerns surrounding the new race start procedures. Turbo lag and delayed car responses at the rear of the grid could increase the risk of incidents when the start light goes out.
Piastri himself raised concerns, pointing out after the first week of testing that these starts might resemble those in Formula 2, where drivers risk losing multiple places if they fail to get off cleanly due to anti-stall activations.
Ralf Schumacher responded to these worries by emphasizing driver skill, saying,
“Well, we have the best drivers in the world, and if you ask me, you only need to watch a Formula 3 start. They have a similar problem.”
He noted that these starts will be less controlled than usual, putting more responsibility on drivers to avoid wheelspin or engine overuse.
Schumacher stated,
“That’s where they see the risk now. But I repeat, these are the best drivers in the world; they have to be able to do it. Period.”
— Ralf Schumacher, Former F1 Driver
Implications of Piastri’s Management Changes for McLaren
The restructuring of Oscar Piastri’s management team is a pivotal step for McLaren as it looks to stabilize and support its rising star driver ahead of a crucial new era in Formula 1. By assigning more on-track presence to Pedro Matos and limiting Mark Webber’s involvement to contractual issues, Piastri’s camp aims to reduce tensions and focus on optimal performance.
This move reflects McLaren’s recognition of the importance of having a calm, well-coordinated environment around their driver, especially after last year’s strained internal communications and race decisions. How this new management structure will affect Piastri’s performance and team dynamics remains a key storyline to watch as the 2026 season progresses.
Meanwhile, the focus on the upcoming season’s race start procedures underscores ongoing challenges within Formula 1 to balance innovation, competition, and driver safety. Piastri’s candid remarks and experienced voices like Schumacher’s ensure this remains a topic of high attention among teams and fans alike.
