The 24-year-old leads the standings by nine points over teammate Lando Norris entering the second half of the season, with the pair dominating the year while McLaren sits almost 300 points clear in the constructors’ championship.
It has created a race for the drivers’ crown that carries echoes of Webber’s own title fight against Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull in 2010.
Speaking with the official Formula 1 website, Piastri said Webber’s experience has been crucial in helping him adapt to the unique challenges of a season-long fight.
“It is very useful having Mark around,” said Piastri.
“He’s obviously been in a title battle himself like this, so I think there’s probably some emotions coming back, I guess.
“The advice is very useful. Not just in the championship battle, it’s been useful from the moment we’ve been working together.”
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Webber, who won nine grands prix across his 12-year career, came within reach of the championship in 2010 before ultimately losing out to Vettel.
Piastri’s battle with Norris may lack the acrimony of that Red Bull rivalry, but with both drivers chasing a maiden world title, the stakes remain just as high.
Piastri said the relationship with Norris, who surged back into contention with three wins from the last four races before the break, remains positive despite the intensity of their fight.
“It’s an interesting dynamic, I think,” he said. “I think we both feel there’s not really any tension. Well, there’s not any tension at all, really. I think we get on very well.
“Obviously once we get on track, then the business starts and we’re both very determined to try and win and try and get as many points as we can.
“If there’s tension in wanting to beat each other, it never spills out off the track, which I think is a nice thing.”
The pair have clashed on track only once, in Canada, when contact forced Norris to retire. Otherwise, McLaren’s so-called “Papaya rules”— a strict instruction not to collide and to prioritise team success —have held firm, helping the team dominate the championship.
For Piastri, the breakthrough campaign is the culmination of steady progress since his debut in 2023.
He scored two podiums in his rookie year, then claimed two victories and eight podiums in 2024.
This season, he already has six wins, 12 podiums, and points in every round, leaving him just shy of surpassing his 2024 total with 10 races still to run.
That consistency has drawn praise from McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who earlier this year described Piastri as a driver able to stay calm under pressure.
“There’s no noise in Oscar’s head, which is a very useful characteristic in Formula 1, and I think this allows him to progress, to process information, to process what’s available in the situations as a way of improving himself at a very fast rate,” Stella said.
Stella also compared Piastri and Norris to champions he had previously worked with, including Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
Piastri said the comments were flattering, but also served as a reminder of the standards required to reach the top.
“To be compared to some of the best that have ever raced in F1, it’s a nice thing to have,” he said.
“I think I’m not a perfect driver. I don’t think there is anyone that’s perfect, but listening to what makes them good, and also in some ways what their weaknesses were… is always interesting to hear.”
F1 returns this weekend on August 29-31 at the Dutch Grand Prix after the traditional summer break.
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