Mick Molloy has revealed that the most difficult interview subject in all his years of media work is Formula One icon Mark Webber.
The veteran radio host was discussing Oscar Piastri‘s Miami Grand Prix win with Melbourne Demons captain Max Gawn when Webber’s name cropped up on Monday.
Webber, who had a successful F1 career with nine Grand Prix wins, 42 podium finishes and 13 pole positions over 12 seasons, clearly was not one for giving exciting interviews.
‘I know nothing about F1… how’s Mark Webber going?’ Gawn asked Molloy on Triple M’s Mick in the Morning.
Molloy replied: ‘Well, he’s managing Piastri, so quite well is the answer to that. He’s very good at management.
‘He wasn’t ever my favourite interview, Mark Webber. If someone had to ask me what the hardest interview was to get something interesting out of someone… Mark Webber is honestly designed to not give an interesting answer.’
Mick Molloy (pictured) says Aussie F1 great Mark Webber is worst person he’s interviewed
Molloy said that ‘Webber is honestly designed to not give an interesting answer’ after he struggled to get the former Red Bull driver to say anything interesting
Co-host Titus O’Reilly chimed in: ‘He could be in politics!’
Webber, who has managed and mentored Piastri since 2019, has proved to be a pivotal force in the Melbourne-born star’s meteoric rise in the F1 world.
‘That’s not just beneficial for me, but beneficial for the whole team to learn how to get to that level [like Red Bull did],’ Piastri said of working with Webber.
Webber’s most important work for the current driver’s championship leader goes far beyond providing inspiration and advice.
‘Behind the scenes, he’s making sure that my contracts are what they should be, just the nuances that you don’t even think about until you’ve experienced it,’ Piastri explained.
Max Verstappen has also acknowledged Webber’s influence on his biggest rival for this year’s driver’s crown.
‘With Mark by his side, he’s helping him a lot,’ the F1 champ said after Piastri’s victory in Saudi Arabia earlier this season.
Veteran radio host has interviewed thousands of celebrities and public figures over the years
Oscar Piastri is currently mentored and managed by Mark Webber
‘It’s great. People learn from their own careers – that’s what I had with my dad [Jos Verstappen], and Mark [Webber] is advising Oscar.’
Following the McLaren star’s victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Webber said he was very impressed with Piastri’s development.
‘Four wins now, 13 podiums, so early in his career is of course a really huge feather in his cap,’ Webber said.
‘As we know, you can have the machinery but it’s often not easy to convert those opportunities.
‘He’s converted the two poles straight away, so I think what we’re seeing quite early in his career is a job well done so far.
‘All the wins, when you’re lucky enough to win a few like he has already, they can be a bit different and that one was probably the most comfortable one he’s had, but there’ll be more stressful ones in the future.’