The dust has finally settled on the 2025 Formula 1 season, and while the history books will record Lando Norris as the World Champion, the real story brewing in the paddock is one of heartbreak, controversy, and a potential civil war within the McLaren garage. The narrative of the season was supposed to be the coronation of a new Australian king; instead, it became a cautionary tale of how quickly momentum can shift in the ruthless world of elite motorsport.
Oscar Piastri, the 24-year-old phenom, seemed untouchable for the first half of the year. With seven race victories and a commanding 34-point lead over his teammate as the season entered its final phase, the championship was his to lose. Yet, as the checkered flag waved in Abu Dhabi, Piastri found himself not on the top step, but languishing in third place in the standings, leapfrogged by both his teammate and a relentless Max Verstappen. What caused this spectacular collapse? And more importantly, is the influence of his manager, Mark Webber, steering him towards a shocking exit?
The Monza Turning Point
To understand the unraveling of Piastri’s 2025 campaign, we must look back to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. It was here, amidst the roar of the Tifosi, that McLaren made the call that arguably changed the course of history. With Piastri leading the championship, the team implemented a controversial “position management” strategy—a polite euphemism for team orders—intended to maintain a competitive balance.
While McLaren leadership, including CEO Zak Brown, framed the decision as a necessary move to secure the Constructors’ Championship and manage race flow, the psychological impact on a leading driver cannot be overstated. For a driver in the form of his life, being asked to compromise his race for the “greater good” is a bitter pill to swallow. It sends a subtle but powerful message: you are not the undisputed number one.
The statistics following Monza paint a grim picture. The confident, precise racer who dominated the early season seemed to vanish. In the subsequent rounds at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, Piastri’s weekend was marred by on-track incidents and uncharacteristic errors. The struggles continued through the Americas triple-header, with the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix exposing a driver who appeared out of sync with his machinery and perhaps, his team. Across the final nine races, the man who had owned the first half of the season failed to record a single victory.
The “Webber Factor”: A Manager’s Trauma?
This dramatic dip in form has invited intense scrutiny, not just of Piastri, but of the team around him—specifically, his manager and former F1 star, Mark Webber. Juan Pablo Montoya, the seven-time Grand Prix winner known for his no-nonsense opinions, has brought a fascinating psychological dimension to the discussion.
Montoya suggests that the current tension at McLaren might be triggering a sense of déjà vu for Webber. Fans will remember Webber’s own stint at Red Bull Racing, where he famously battled against Sebastian Vettel and the team’s apparent favoritism, culminating in the infamous “Multi-21” saga. Montoya warns that there is a dangerous possibility of Webber projecting his own past frustrations onto Piastri’s current situation.
“Situations like this naturally lead drivers and their management teams to evaluate long-term career planning,” Montoya noted in a recent interview. However, he cautioned that past professional experiences should not dictate present decisions. The implication is clear: just because Webber was burned by team politics doesn’t mean Piastri is in the same boat, and reacting defensively could jeopardize a promising career.
The parallels, however, are hard to ignore. Like Webber, Piastri is an Australian driver in a top team who led a championship charge only to see the tide turn towards a teammate who came up through the team’s own system. Norris, a McLaren junior graduate, fits the “golden child” mold that Vettel once occupied at Red Bull. If Webber perceives that McLaren shifted support to Norris to secure the title, his advice to Piastri could be to look for a way out—a move that would shock the paddock.
The Fallout and Future Speculation
The atmosphere following the season finale in Abu Dhabi has been thick with speculation. While Lando Norris celebrates his maiden title, the silence from the Piastri camp has been deafening. The sheer drop from championship leader to third place—behind a Red Bull that was arguably inferior in the latter stages—is a wound that will take time to heal.
Johnny Herbert, the former driver and race steward, weighed in on the situation, noting that it is “standard practice” for drivers to reassess their options after such a demanding and disappointing conclusion. Herbert pointed out that while contracts are in place, the cyclical nature of F1 means loyalty is often fleeting.
Rumors have already begun linking Piastri’s camp to discussions with other top outfits. Aston Martin, a team that has continued to invest heavily in state-of-the-art infrastructure and technical personnel, has been whispered as a potential suitor. Lawrence Stroll’s ambition is unmatched, and securing a talent like Piastri would be a statement of intent.
McLaren’s Damage Control
Aware of the swirling narrative, McLaren has moved quickly to quell the fires. Zak Brown has been vocal in his support for Piastri, publicly reiterating the organization’s long-term confidence in him. Brown describes Piastri as a driver with “championship potential”—a phrase that rings somewhat hollow given the events of the last few months.
The team insists that having two number-one drivers is a luxury, not a liability. Yet, history tells us that such dynamic equilibrium is rarely sustainable. From Senna and Prost to Hamilton and Rosberg, one driver eventually cracks or leaves. McLaren’s challenge for 2026 will be to rebuild Piastri’s shattered confidence and convince him that he is not destined to be the “Webber” to Norris’s “Vettel.”
Conclusion
The 2025 season will be remembered for Lando Norris’s triumph, but the sub-plot of Oscar Piastri’s unraveling may have far longer-lasting consequences for the sport. We are witnessing a critical juncture in the career of a generational talent.
If Juan Pablo Montoya’s assessment is correct, the biggest battle Piastri faces this winter is not on the simulator, but in the boardroom, managing the emotions of his inner circle. He must decide whether the events of Monza and the subsequent collapse were just a “performance fluctuation” or a sign of a systemic hierarchy within McLaren that he cannot overcome.
As the F1 world heads into the off-season, one question remains: Will Oscar Piastri return in 2026 ready to fight for the team that engineered his downfall, or will the “Webber Factor” lead him to seek glory in new colors? The first domino has fallen; now we wait to see where the rest will land.