Mark Webber, a former Formula 1 racer, remained guarded when asked if McLaren and his protégé Oscar Piastri might enter the 2025 season as frontrunners.
"We'll see," the Australian, who oversees the career of 23-year-old compatriot Piastri, told RTBF during Wednesday's opening of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Following McLaren's constructors' championship triumph last year, with Piastri's teammate Lando Norris placing second to drivers' champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull chief Christian Horner has suggested he's content for McLaren to start the new campaign as favourites.
"There are so many factors that come into play," said Webber, 48, who claimed all nine of his grand prix victories with Red Bull, speaking to the Belgian outlet.
"It's very important that the car is competitive on each track and above all reliable, given that we're starting with five races in six weeks," he elaborated.
"But we're obviously starting on a good basis because the car was very good in 2024."
Regarding Piastri, his reputation in the F1 community remains strong, though it's clear Norris held the advantage last season.
Yet ex-F1 driver Marc Surer believes McLaren faces a dilemma. "If McLaren want to win the championship, they have to put Lando Norris as their number 1 driver," said the Swiss. "Otherwise Piastri will take points away from him."
Still, Piastri secured fourth overall in 2024, clinching his first two grand prix victories—compared to Norris's three wins that year.
"Oscar had an incredible second year in Formula 1 even if he was behind Lando at the end of the season," Webber acknowledged. "But in the end, it was a great season for him (Piastri) in '24 with a lot of points scored.
"He learned a lot, and I hope he has a good season."
RTBF wrapped up its discussion with Webber by touching on one of the paddock's current talking points—Ferrari's fresh driver pairing.
"Lewis (Hamilton) and Charles (Leclerc), what a lineup," Webber smiled. "It's fantastic for the sport. This move for Lewis is great for everyone.
"But Leclerc is also a superstar and I have a lot of respect for both of those guys. It's all positive, both for Ferrari and for Formula 1."
