- Announcement comes less than a month out from 2026 F1 season
Aussie F1 star Oscar Piastri will begin the 2026 season without former Red Bull driver Mark Webber by his side on track.
Webber, a five-time race winner, has stepped back from his trackside support role.
The 24-year-old finished third in the 2025 World Drivers’ Championship after leading the way for most of the season.
Piastri has since tweaked his team behind the scenes.
The McLaren driver is set to add Pedro Maria, his race engineer from his title-winning 2021 F2 season, to his network.
Webber will also give up his on-track position within Piastri’s team.
Oscar Piastri and Mark Webber (both pictured) have shared an on-track partnership for several years
Piastri, 24, is set to compete in his fourth F1 season – and again will drive for McLaren (pictured, at testing in Bahrain this week)
Webber (pictured) led the F1 championship in 2010 after winning multiple races – but was unable to win the title
The Red Bull legend will continue as Piastri’s manager alongside Ann Neal.
His decision comes as Piastri prepares for the upcoming season.
The McLaren star, along with the other 21 drivers on the grid in 2026, has completed multiple days of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Piastri won seven races in 2025 and claimed 16 podium finishes.
He will arrive to take part in the first race of the season at Albert Park in his hometown of Melbourne with a point to prove.
Despite looking on course for a podium finish in the Melbourne race last year, the Aussie spun out while sitting in second.
Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris won the 2025 World Drivers’ Championship after finishing ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just two points.
The Aussie finished third, 13 points behind Norris.
Webber (pictured, with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel) is familiar with the stresses that come with being a championship-contending driver
Piastri (pictured) will contest his fourth Australian Grand Prix in early March at Albert Park
F1 returns on March 8, with Piastri entering the 2026 season as one of the top favourites to take the title.
Mercedes is looming as the constructor to beat, with both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli set for a potentially career-defining season.
2026 will also be the Aussie driver’s fourth year at the top level.
He will look to win Australia’s first World Championship since Alan Jones claimed victory in the 1980 season.
