Webber backs McLaren to deliver Piastri a title-winning car after miserable 2026 start

Mark Webber has "full faith" that McLaren will provide Oscar Piastri with a car capable of fighting for the F1 drivers' title again this season, following a nightmare start to the 2026 campaign that saw the Australian fail to complete a single racing lap in the first two grands prix.

Webber, Piastri's manager, watched his driver narrowly lose the 2025 championship after leading the standings by 34 points following a win at the Dutch Grand Prix. A dramatic collapse in the final nine races saw Piastri fall to second, with teammate Lando Norris snatching the title. Now, after two non-finishes in Australia (crash on reconnaissance lap) and China (power unit issues), Piastri sits 57 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli. Yet Webber remains bullish.

Why it matters:

McLaren's ability to recover from a slow start and develop the MCL60 throughout the year will determine whether Piastri can mount a serious title challenge. After coming agonizingly close in 2025, another missed opportunity could dent the team's long-term ambitions and Piastri's momentum.

The details:

• Piastri's 2025 campaign: Seven wins, a 34-point lead after Zandvoort, then only three podiums in the final nine races as Verstappen surged to within two points of the title.
• Webber's own heartbreak in 2010 (lost title to Vettel) gives him perspective: "His [Piastri's] missed opportunity is very early in his career, which is a big feather in his own cap."
• 2026 start: Retired in Australia (pre-grid crash) and China (reliability), then finished 2nd in Japan and 3rd in Miami to claw back to 6th in the standings.
• Webber insists Piastri has learned from the collapse and the winter of reflection, and that McLaren's development will bring them back into contention.

What's next:

McLaren's upgrade cycle over the coming races will be critical. Webber expects the team to "get the car back up and fight for the world title again" so Piastri can "go one better this season." With 21 races remaining, the window for recovery is still open – but every point lost now compounds the challenge.