'We need these people': Mark Webber hits F1 between the eyes with message backing Max Verstappen

Australian F1 legend Mark Webber has thrown his support behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen, urging the Dutchman to remain in the sport to safeguard its global momentum.

Webber, notoriously quiet in the public eye since retiring from Formula 1 in 2013, has maintained a close relationship with the Red Bull camp for over a decade.

However, the 49-year-old had lots to say about Red Bull's current champion, the "Verstappen effect" and the hole his retirement from the sport would leave.

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"Naturally, Red Bull would love Max to stay," Webber said.

"That's incredibly easy to predict.

"Holistically, looking at the whole sport, when you've got someone like him, characters like Verstappen are what the sport needs. We need these people.

"People switch on the TV because of Max Verstappen, and Liberty know that. Teams know that. He's important."

The Australian likened Verstappen's presence to the historic rivalry between tennis icons Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, suggesting that any reigning champion forces the entire grid to "lift" their game.

"Long and short, 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. You have to be continually lifted," Webber added.

"It's like Rafa [Nadal] and Roger [Federer]. If Rafa is not there, is Roger lifting, and vice versa. You need someone who is giving you those sleepless nights, and Verstappen has done that for a long period.

"Personally, if you talk about being neutral, and, of course, I'm biased to Oscar (Piastri), but if I'm neutral in terms of the sport, then I want Max to be in Formula 1, of course."

Verstappen's future has been the subject of intense speculation, particularly regarding the 2026 technical regulations.

While the four-time champion is contracted for the long term, he has been vocal about his frustrations with the sport's direction and his growing interest in GT racing.

Speaking after the Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen admitted the current cars still don't align with his ideal racing philosophy.

"My car drives a bit better, but what I said before about the regulations is still the same," he said to media.

"It's still punishing you. The faster you go through corners, then you go slower on the next straight. So that's not what it should be about.

"But at least my car is working a bit nicer, so it's a bit less stressful to drive."

Webber acknowledged that while Verstappen's motivation remains with his team, the Dutchman's unparalleled success has earned him the right to walk away if he so pleases.

"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," said Webber.

"He's got an immense trophy cabinet, he's delivered year in, year out, and that gives him choices."

While Webber keeps an eye on the top of the podium, his primary focus remains on managing Aussie F1 driver Oscar Piastri.

Piastri recently reflected on how his relationship with Webber has shifted as he enters his fourth year in the paddock.

"I think just with experience...now starting my fourth year, I have either the answers to a lot of those kinds of questions that I wouldn't have had in the first couple of years, or I know the questions to keep asking, which just comes with experience," said Piastri.

"There's naturally less and less for Mark to do on the racing side of things the more experienced I become.

"That's probably how (the relationship has) changed in the last few years."