The 2024 Formula 1 season may have reached its checkered flag under the glittering lights of Abu Dhabi, but for the McLaren Formula 1 Team, the real race—and perhaps a devastating loss—is only just beginning. What should have been a celebration of a competitive season has instead transformed into a high-stakes psychological war, triggered by a short, sharp, and deeply “poisonous” phrase from one of the most influential managers in the paddock: Mark Webber.

The message was simple yet seismic: Oscar Piastri should start improving his Italian. To the uninitiated, it sounds like a casual suggestion for a holiday. To the seasoned veterans of the F1 paddock, it is a declaration of war. In this sport, learning Italian is synonymous with one destination: Maranello. It is the home of Scuderia Ferrari.

The Abu Dhabi Fracture: A Title Fight Left in the Cold

The roots of this sudden tension lie in the tactical handling of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri entered the season finale as a legitimate contender for the world title, sitting in a three-way battle alongside teammate Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. It was a dream scenario for McLaren—two cars with a chance at the crown. However, that dream quickly dissolved into a strategic nightmare.

Early in the race, Piastri demonstrated exactly why he is considered a “diamond” of the sport. He overtook Norris with surgical precision at Turn 9, a move that was reportedly pre-arranged to allow the Australian to use his tire advantage to pressure Verstappen. But after that initial spark, the McLaren pit wall seemed to freeze. While Red Bull and Ferrari operated with aggressive, decisive strategies, McLaren lapsed into a state of “strategic ambiguity.”

Despite Piastri’s superior pace on his final stint, the support from the radio remained silent. There was no attempt to utilize Norris to help Piastri close the gap on Verstappen, nor were there any bold tactical moves to give the Australian a fighting chance at the championship he had worked all season to earn. The team appeared more concerned with the optics of “fairness” than the hunger for a World Championship.

A Pattern of Neglect: From Qatar to Las Vegas

As Mark Webber’s frustration suggests, Abu Dhabi wasn’t an isolated incident; it was the final straw in a mounting pile of evidence. Throughout the latter half of the season, a pattern emerged that indicated Piastri’s interests were being sidelined. In Qatar and Las Vegas, the young Australian was the victim of what experts call “unforced strategic errors.”

In Las Vegas, a race defined by narrow windows and evolving track conditions, McLaren’s strategy team called Piastri into the pits far too early. The move for an undercut made little sense given the tire data, and it resulted in Piastri being spat back out into heavy traffic, effectively killing his podium chances. While Lando Norris frequently received the “clean” windows and the optimal pit stops, Piastri was left to navigate the consequences of his team’s miscalculations.

For a manager like Webber, who famously lived through his own “Number 2 driver” frustrations during his time at Red Bull, these weren’t just mistakes—they were messages. They signaled that despite Piastri’s consistency and brilliance, he was not being treated as the central figure he has proven himself to be.

The Ferrari Shadow: A Plan in Motion?

Mark Webber is not a man who speaks without intent. By publicly hinting at a move to Ferrari, he has effectively opened a door that McLaren will find very difficult to close. This isn’t just a media play; it is a tactical maneuver designed to force Zak Brown and Andrea Stella to redefine their internal culture.

The psychological impact on a team when a star driver begins looking elsewhere is devastating. It breeds distrust and weakens the cohesion necessary to win at the highest level. By suggesting Piastri “learn Italian,” Webber is reminding McLaren that his driver is not married to the Woking project. He is an elite talent with options, and if McLaren continues to prioritize Lando Norris or fails to protect Piastri’s championship ambitions, the most famous team in racing history is ready to welcome him with open arms.

The Road Ahead for McLaren

McLaren now faces a defining moment in its modern history. They have the car, they have the talent, but they currently lack the internal clarity required to manage two alpha drivers. The “scales of equality” that Zak Brown often speaks of appear, from the outside, to be heavily tilted.

If the team wants to keep the “Australian Jewel” in their crown, they must move beyond diplomatic statements. They must prove on the track—through strategy, pit priority, and unwavering support—that Oscar Piastri is viewed as a legitimate Number 1.

The “Italian” warning is a countdown clock. Every strategic error from this point forward will be viewed through the lens of that potential exit to Maranello. The question remains: Can McLaren fix the fracture, or are we watching the first steps of Oscar Piastri’s journey toward the scarlet red of Ferrari? The ball is in Woking’s court, but Mark Webber has already made the first move.