Mark Webber implored to intervene after Oscar Piastri 'blip'

Damon Hill believes Oscar Piastri needs some guidance from manager Mark Webber to help navigate the late-season perils of his first F1 drivers' championship battle.

The Australian driver has suffered through a period of poor form, which has seen his once 34-point advantage over Lando Norris wiped off and turned into a 24-point deficit.

That 58-point swing could prove decisive down the stretch, having looked so formidable for so much of the campaign.

The McLaren team-mates also have Max Verstappen for company, but with the Dutchman a further 25 points behind Piastri, he is a diminished force in the title fight.

Hill highlighted the "blip" the nine-time grand prix winner has endured since his most recent victory at Zandvoort, back at the end of August.

However, despite not having visited the podium in the past five rounds, the 1996 F1 drivers' champion was quick to highlight how adept young drivers are at re-finding their footing and bouncing back.

"His trajectory, he was getting stronger and stronger, but you can’t ignore the fact that he's had a bit of a blip," Hill told British newspaper The Mirror when discussing the 24-year-old.

"What they're very good at doing, these young drivers, is they're good at analysing what might be causing that and they'll fix it.

"If they're any good, they'll find out what's going on and get stronger. Formula 1 is about finding out what you're made of."

Picking brains

Hill explained how Webber can provide support for Piastri, having experienced his own championship near-miss in 2010, when he fell short to Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

The former Brabham, Williams, Arrows and Jordan driver underlined the importance of using the expertise around you.

"Mark is able to guide him and give him some encouragement, hopefully, on that side of things. You do need to draw on resources, as a driver," the 22-time grand prix winner said.

"It can be quite a lonely place if you don't have someone whose brain you can pick. You certainly can't go around the place asking everyone; you have to have trusted advisors."