Chris Piastri has revealed how his son Oscar has benefitted from having Mark Webber as an invaluable guiding light to help steer him through the many pitfalls of F1.
It is now almost three years ago that Piastri joined Webber’s Jam Sports Management, allowing the nine-time grands prix winner to represent him ahead of his F3 campaign in 2020.
Webber was then instrumental in guiding Piastri through the contractual controversy with Alpine a year ago and on to McLaren where he is now beginning to flourish.
Both Webber and Chris Piastri were on hand at Silverstone last weekend to watch Oscar enjoy a stunning British Grand Prix for which he qualified third – the best starting position by a rookie for six years.
But for a safety car required to oversee the removal of Kevin Magnussen’s stricken Haas following a power unit fire, Piastri would undoubtedly have become only the sixth Australian in F1 history to finish on the podium, instead having to settle for fourth.
Reflecting on Webber’s influence on his son, speaking to Speedcafe, Chris Piastri said: “Motor racing itself is always a confidence game
“When you get to the top level, just knowing that you can be fast is a big part of the battle.
“Throughout the season Oscar has just been slowly ticking the boxes, providing the little bits of feedback in the engineering debriefs, and it’s all boosting his confidence.
“And Mark has been fantastic in his support of Oscar, giving him that little nudge when he needs it, or calming him down when he needs it, not that Oscar needs calming down too much.
“It’s just really good to see. He’s doing what he did in F3 and F2, just going through the motions, doing what needs to be done, staying calm, and putting the lap in when it counts.”
Although it is now a decade since Webber last drove in F1, Chris Piastri believes the 46-year-old’s knowledge and retained links with the sport have been crucial for Oscar over these past few years of their relationship.
“Mark’s experience is invaluable for Oscar,” added Piastri Sr.
“He’s done it all before, and while not in this current era – he doesn’t really give Oscar much assistance in the car and honestly, I don’t think Oscar needs it – but it has helped with all the other stuff, the external stuff outside of racing.
“As you know, Formula 1 can be quite a political minefield, but Mark gives the guidance, and steadies the ship when needed.
“It’s that quiet achievement vibe. Mark did it his whole career and the personality of both Oscar and Mark are very similar. It’s just great to see, they’re a great team.”
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