Mark Webber

I'm a little puzzled as to why Webber doesn't have a page in the teams and drivers section, as Webber is a pivotal figure in the story upfront. There are questions that need to be asked. Why can Vettel win, and Webber struggle to get on the podium fighting Ferraris and McLarens? Why is the man that was noted as a good qualifier unable to get near Vettel? Did the leg break in late 2008 do him serious performance damage? and What should Webber do in the near future?

Mark Webber. Over to you...

 

[Quintessentially]

Not gonna miss him. Hope he learns how to drive in the wet at Porsche. At least it frees up the Redbull and hopefully whoever ends up in it can give Vettel a stiffer challenge.

 

[Kewee]

Quintessentially........One small error in the wet two years ago and you think he needs to learn to drive. What a joke! I bet your flawless going through roundabouts in the wet in your Toyota Corolla.

 

[RasputinLives]

I bet he's better at starts.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I'm sure he'll love those rolling starts

 

[Kewee]

Might struggle a bit with all that power.

 

[RasputinLives]

Webber? Thats true. He's used to following orders.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives

Webber did not go over the edge in terms of team orders

Vettel did

I guess that separates the real men from nearly men in this sport

Do I feel for him. Not when he first came into F1 - he was a bit like Villeneuve loud mouth and blunt and particularly had on poor Pizzonia at Jaguar which baffled Williams why poor Antonio did not succeed

He made noises that joining Williams was going to propel him to battle with the big boys and he ended up with 2 years of frustration and at times could not keep the car on the road because he did not have a racing brain

He's had some sympathy from the way Marko has undermined him. He at times does not help himself by thinking the forces are against him to come out on top

THanks to Flavio Briatore by crook of Renault engine deal

He's been fortunate to land a drive in one of the best cars in F1 history but not fully taken his chances - 2010 was a good example..his comment about Vettel is preferred by Red Bull was ill timed and he could not come up and deliver

He's driven some outstanding races in his career
Germany 2009
Spain 2010
Monaco 2010
Britain 2012

but ultimately has not managed a consistency that would have made him world champion

He's had a better chance than either say Barrichello or Massa ever did when they were No 2 at Ferrari

 

[Blog Zbod]

Mark Webber's podium at Silverstone was the 37th of his career, which ties him with Riccardo Patrese for 19th place on the all-time list.

It also was his fifth consecutive Silverstone pole, matched only bu The Ice Man (2003-2007).

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Hamilton was on pole at Silverstone?

 

[Fenderman]

Blog Zbod... a likeable post apart from the pole slip!

 

[Olivier]

Webber still has a few races ahead so let's not kiss him goodbye just yet ... True, nothing outstanding is expected from him, but weirder things have happened. I was impressed when he started with Minardi but unfortunately he couldn't reach the top ... But who has? In the past three years they all have failed Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen ... They could have looked good, but truth is, only Vettel has taken the honors ...

 

[Jen]

So, what in your earnest opinion should happen to the other 18 odd who make up the grid but don't quite cut the mustard? Or should we just reduce it to a 6 man grid and leave it at that.

Whenever a new driver enters the fray, I applaud, (perhaps not so much recently as there have been a few too many 'pay drivers'), and have high hopes for their progress and success.

Mark was one of them. Given the hand that he was dealt, I think he has done remarkably well - perhaps he should have had more 'balls' in the initial stages but all drivers are happy to make it into F1 and, sometimes, compromise to remain there.

 

[Road of Bones]

The simple fact is that not everyone can win in F1, and that currently Vettel holds the best hand in terms of the car he has, and his ability to use it. It should not reflect badly on Mark Webber that he's not matching Seb every weekend - on the form of the last 3 seasons, nobody on the grid has been able to!

 

[Bushi]

Il_leone: Think it has been said mutiple times, but Webber ignored team orders in the past. You act like Webber was an angel during his career with Red Bull.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Whenever a new driver enters the fray, I applaud, (perhaps not so much recently as there have been a few too many 'pay drivers'), and have high hopes for their progress and success.

Mark was one of them. Given the hand that he was dealt, I think he has done remarkably well - perhaps he should have had more 'balls' in the initial stages but all drivers are happy to make it into F1 and, sometimes, compromise to remain there.

I don't think Webber was ever a pay driver. He got his 1st drive on ability and has kept his seat by being a dependable driver who will get the job done. I remember a recent interview where he said he had the least amount of money behind him than any driver and if it came down to funding his F1 career would have been over a long time ago.

 

[Blog Zbod]

Fangio was a pay driver.

Webber has never been a pay driver. He came into F1 the hard way, demonstrating his competence as a test driver before being promoted to racing seat.

Blog Zbod... a likeable post apart from the pole slip!

Yeah, obviously I meant PODIUM, not pole, but the post was un-editable before I'd noticed the foul-up. My sincerest apologies to the nation of Poland for the error.


Ironically, the team order which Vettel so egregiously disregarded at Malaysia only was made necessary by Webber's obstinacy and refusal to comply with ...team orders.


One point that gets little mention, and which I think is the unheralded reason for the lion's share of Red Bull Racing's success, is the coincidence of the spellings of its driver's names. Both names consist of six letters: a consonant, a vowel, a unique double-consonant, a repeat of the first vowel, and then a third unique consonant. It is a coincidental combination never before seen in F1. Or Grand Prix.

I fear RBR will be hard-pressed to find a suitable replacement with the same qualifications.

 

[Jen]

I didn't say Mark was a pay driver!!! ffs

 

[teabagyokel]

One point that gets little mention, and which I think is the unheralded reason for the lion's share of Red Bull Racing's success, is the coincidence of the spellings of its driver's names. Both names consist of six letters: a consonant, a vowel, a unique double-consonant, a repeat of the first vowel, and then a third unique consonant. It is a coincidental combination never before seen in F1. Or Grand Prix.

Yeah, several drivers off to the deed-poll office with that one, Jenson Buttun or Valteri Bottos anyone?

Jen clearly didn't state Webber was a pay-driver. He is probably the least pay-driverish driver on the damn grid!

 

[Il_leone]

Bushi

I am not a fan of Webber...he has made life difficult for Vettel at times like refusing to help BRazil 2009 and nearly last year as well hence Helmut is always hopping mad

He makes Vettel work for it and does not surrender like Rubens does. However Webber has not exactly double crossed the team

- Brazil 2009 Vettel qualified 16th so it was immaterial and last year Webber did allow him through when he realised there was no point holding him up

- Malaysia this year was clear double cross both cars given the same instructions but one decided to threw test the teams position by spearing the inside right next to the pitwall ... what if they both collided and caused a huge accident.. a mighty embarassment

---- At Red Bull it is never Vettel's fault in the eyes of Marko he is the golden boy that must be looked after at all costs

 

[Il_leone]

Webber is not a pay driver but he got the Red Bull drive through the underhanded double dealing of Flavio Briatore who was willinf to offer cheaper Renault engines than they were paying Ferrari if Webber was signed who is part of his stable