Webber says F1 must keep Verstappen on the grid

Mark Webber says Formula 1 cannot afford to lose Max Verstappen, arguing the Dutchman is not only a major draw for fans but the driver who forces the rest of the field to raise its level.

Speaking to RacingNews365, former Red Bull driver and Oscar Piastri’s manager Mark Webber said Verstappen’s value goes well beyond his own team. “Characters like Verstappen are what the sport needs,” Webber said. “People switch on the TV because of Max Verstappen, and Liberty know that. Teams know that. He's important.”

The comments come against continued uncertainty over Verstappen’s long-term future. He has made no secret of his dislike for this year’s regulations and has left the door open to a potential exit, with the wider debate centered on whether Formula 1 can keep him engaged under the current rules cycle.

Webber said the choice ultimately belongs to Verstappen, who has done enough in the sport to decide for himself what comes next. “If the stimuli are decreasing for him, in conjunction with his experience, and I'm not saying for one minute he's losing motivation, but, of course, it granularly drifts away, then he's earned the right to make choices,” he said. “He's got an immense trophy cabinet, he's delivered year in, year out, and that gives him choices.”

What makes Webber’s view striking is his own position. As Piastri’s manager, he is tied to one of Verstappen’s direct rivals, yet he still sees the champion as essential to the championship’s competitive standard. “It's really important that we keep Max in the sport, because he's lifting every driver in the field, and that's what Formula 1 is about,” Webber said.

He described Verstappen as the kind of benchmark every elite series needs, comparing his effect to the rivalry between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. “You need someone who is giving you those sleepless nights, and Verstappen has done that for a long period,” he said.

Webber acknowledged his own bias toward Piastri, but said that did not change his broader view of what is best for Formula 1. If he looked at the sport neutrally, he said, he still wanted Verstappen to remain, because losing the driver who sets the standard would weaken the level the rest of the grid is forced to chase.