Photo: RacePictures

'Webber prefers to stay on the phone and wave it off, that’s a shame'

08:54, 15 Nov

byTobia Elia

Ralf Schumacher had a few words for Oscar Piastri’s manager, Mark Webber, drawing a parallel with his own experience at Red Bull alongside Sebastian Vettel.

“It seems he doesn’t have the necessary distance or maturity to recognize what he should be doing for the team and his driver”

- Ralf Schumacher

Speaking to the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, the former German driver sees in Webber the same 2010 déjà-vu, when he ended up losing the World Championship to his teammate.

“For Webber, it’s a nightmare scenario. He himself once lost the title in the final moments, back in 2010 against Vettel. For him, it’s a déjà-vu he definitely doesn’t want. But it seems he doesn’t have the necessary distance or maturity to recognize what he should be doing for the team and his driver. He also lacks the fairness toward Norris that’s required.”

According to Schumacher, Webber should be speaking up more and taking a stand, especially at a time when there’s been a lot of talk at McLaren about alleged favoritism toward Lando Norris.

Ralf Schumacher in the F1 paddock - Photo source: RacePictures

“A manager needs to step up and say: ‘Listen everyone, the problem isn’t the team. The car simply suits Lando better at the moment, Oscar needs a bit of time. Both are being supported equally.’ Instead, Webber prefers to stay on the phone and wave it off—that’s a shame.”

Finally, the German drew a parallel with Willi Weber, his brother's former manager: “I didn’t always agree with Weber, but he would always come to us and say: ‘You need to own your mistakes or thank the team.’ That’s exactly what a young driver like Piastri needs from his manager. It’s a pity Webber can’t do that.”

F1 legend labels Piastri's Brazil GP as 'simply not up to mark'

Giancarlo Minardi didn’t hold back in criticizing another difficult weekend for Piastri in Brazil. After losing the championship lead in Mexico, the Australian fell further behind his teammate following the sprint race incident and retirement, and a fifth-place finish in the Grand Prix.

Norris now holds almost a full race’s worth of buffer with three rounds to go, while Max Verstappen continues to close in on Piastri for second place, though his title hopes are now all but gone.

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