He may be contemplating other options away from Formula 1 for the 2014 season but Mark Webber is still as fast as ever. The Aussie celebrated his 200th Grand Prix in Malaysia but he will actually be starting his 200th F1 race this Sunday in Bahrain.
With his 200th Grand Prix start closing in I thought, why not revisit some of the peaks of his rollercoaster career in the sport? Here are my Top 5 races of 200, carefully collected as my personal favourite races of his career to date.
What better way to start than with Mark Webber's debut Formula 1 victory. It was perhaps one of the most popular and deserving race wins of the modern era - the loveable Aussie had battled through a tough career prior to the 2009 German Grand Prix, held at the Nurburgring Circuit, but it all led to that moment. It was a race that saw a dramatic and monumental drive through the field for Mark after he gained a drive through penalty for his troubles. His first lap had been far from straight forward, contact with Brawn GP rival Barrichello caused the drive through penalty and yet more contact, this time with KERS boosted Lewis Hamilton, caused a puncture for the other car.
Webber managed to keep his car all in one piece but he lost the lead to Barrichello. The first round of stops saw the Aussie take two trips through the pit lane, eventually feeding out in eighth place. From then on all he could do was push and because of his truly mesmerising pace mid-race he had regained the lead for the final stint. He crossed the line to take not only a Red Bull Racing 1-2 (by 10 seconds I might add!) but also the first race win by an Australian since Alan Jones in 1980. It was an emotional weekend for Webber and it put him right into the fight for the championship. Obviously now we all know how that concluded...
Street races. Hard to overtake on but just as hard to control at the front. Mark Webber's second Monaco Grand Prix race win in 2012 came with huge amounts of pressure, not only in the closing stages but throughout the whole 78 lap race. It is one thing to finish a race in the principality, what with the ever present crash barriers, but to lead a chasing pack of up to six cars without making a single error is impressive; something Webber did in style.
He may not have been the quickest, second to the now retired Michael Schumacher (but he inherited pole position due to the seven time world champion's grid penalty) in qualifying, over the race weekend but he certainly showcased his cool and controlled nature out front. Off the line he made a clean start to lead the pack into St. Devote and from then on there was no chance. The limited overtaking opportunities meant that the train of cars behind him, notably Rosberg and Fernando Alonso, were all hoping for that one error which gives them the rare window of hope.
It never came and the Aussie crossed the line to win the coveted race for the second time. Impressively the top six were separated by just six seconds, I cannot even imagine the pressure that was put on Webber but it was a dominant and impressive display of consistency. Not all races have to be overtaking, incident filled spectacles. I was just as content sitting on the edge of my seat feeling just an ounce of the tense atmosphere of that on the Red Bull pit wall.
Two tracks spring to mind when thinking of Mark Webber, Monaco but also Silverstone. He has always excelled at the "home of motorsport" and has one that event twice. It is one of just a few "classic" or "prestigious" races (Monaco being one of them) which makes both his victories in 2010 and 2012 all the more special. The latter stands out to me as one which shows his true Aussie grit.
Like his Twitter name, Mark is known to be a fighter. After being told off 12 months earlier for attempting an overtake on his team-mate, he truly got one over on him by battling hard with early leader Fernando Alonso. It was a fair battle and one that was truly stunning to watch, as the Red Bull edged closer, ducked out of the dirty air and eventually maneuvered past the Ferrari car.
Silverstone is a track where confidence in the car is very, very important. High speed corners like Copse, Becketts and Maggots suit the Red Bull perfectly so it was no surprise that one of their drivers won. However many expected Sebastian Vettel, who dominated the race in 2011, to take victory on track. The German had to settle for second best at Red Bull and rightfully so as Webber was truly majestic. He may have had DRS help but his move on Alonso for the lead around the outside at Brooklands.
The 2007 Japanese Grand Prix did not end in the ideal way for Webber, in fact rather ironically he was punted out of the race by current team-mate Sebastian Vettel (who was racing for Toro Rosso) whilst behind the safety car. The appearance of the Mercedes CLK63 was thanks to Fernando Alonso's damaged McLaren who had gone off in the treacherous conditions, the double world champions troubles only emphasised just how bad the conditions really were.
After starting the race from eighth on the grid the Aussie moved up to sixth place whilst behind the safety car (which started the race) due to the two Ferrari's pitting. When the lights went out on the safety car to signal the start of the racing action on lap 19 Webber showcased his skills in wet conditions, carving his way through the field whilst others faltered to run fourth after the first official racing lap.
When the safety car appeared for the second time, to clear up the already mentioned Alonso crash, he was running an impressive second. You have to also remember that throughout the race he was suffering from food poising and was actually sick in the car. But in typical Webber style he persevered. Not only did a potential podium look possible, he could have won the race. However that soon changed after Lewis Hamilton suddenly slowed to warm up his brakes. Webber reacted accordingly but Vettel was seemingly fast asleep, ploughing into the back of Webber's car. He managed to limp back to his pit garage to have a sob as a fuming Mark pulled off to the side of the track. Little did we know at the time that the two would eventually partner up at Red Bull, along with the fact that their controversial relationship lives on.
Mark has always raced well on street tracks, as is evident by what you have just been reading. These circuits need pin point precision, 100% focus and a feeling of ease and confidence with the car and its abilities. On the run up to the 2005 Monaco Grand Prix Webber had ran under the radar. However after his performance on the challenging street circuit people started to stand up and take notice.
Lining up third on the grid was the first glimpse of how fast Webber could really go. The lap was truly stunning, error free and on the edge but without pushing the car too far. You could tell that, for the first time that year, he had found the sweet spot with his Williams. The race was largely uneventful up until the 23rd lap where Christian Albers comically spun his Minardi at Mirabeau, blocking the track. By that point Webber had dropped to fifth but he was fired up and knew what the car could do. He displaced Fisichella and Trulli through strategy but then lost a position himself to his team-mate, something he was not too keen on (and understandably so!)
His then team-mate Heidfeld managed to get past a struggling Fernando Alonso with some ease - I say some as it is never easy in Monaco - but when Webber tried to replicate the move into the harbour-side chicane Alonso cut the corner. He tried again. Alonso cut the corner again. Webber eventually got by the ailing Renault to score his debut podium finish in Formula 1 after three tough seasons. It was not only well deserved but it actually put him on my radar, I had never really payed much attention to him up until that moment.
He may have missed out on the luck suffered by team-mate Sebastian Vettel, but when he looks back at his career in Formula 1 Mark will most definitely have plenty of fond memories. There were some ugly moments, a few jaw dropping ones and those that made everyone smile.
You have to also say that he has had plenty of missed opportunities, particularly in his early years with Jaguar and Red Bull where good results were on the cards. He has also come back from terrifying crashes, Brazil 2003 and Valencia 2010 sprint to mind immediately, with relaxed ease. He is rarely phased and that is what makes him such an exciting driver.
How many more races will he complete? Only he knows but at the end of the 2013 season we will certainly get a better idea.
With his 200th Grand Prix start closing in I thought, why not revisit some of the peaks of his rollercoaster career in the sport? Here are my Top 5 races of 200, carefully collected as my personal favourite races of his career to date.
What better way to start than with Mark Webber's debut Formula 1 victory. It was perhaps one of the most popular and deserving race wins of the modern era - the loveable Aussie had battled through a tough career prior to the 2009 German Grand Prix, held at the Nurburgring Circuit, but it all led to that moment. It was a race that saw a dramatic and monumental drive through the field for Mark after he gained a drive through penalty for his troubles. His first lap had been far from straight forward, contact with Brawn GP rival Barrichello caused the drive through penalty and yet more contact, this time with KERS boosted Lewis Hamilton, caused a puncture for the other car.
Webber managed to keep his car all in one piece but he lost the lead to Barrichello. The first round of stops saw the Aussie take two trips through the pit lane, eventually feeding out in eighth place. From then on all he could do was push and because of his truly mesmerising pace mid-race he had regained the lead for the final stint. He crossed the line to take not only a Red Bull Racing 1-2 (by 10 seconds I might add!) but also the first race win by an Australian since Alan Jones in 1980. It was an emotional weekend for Webber and it put him right into the fight for the championship. Obviously now we all know how that concluded...
Street races. Hard to overtake on but just as hard to control at the front. Mark Webber's second Monaco Grand Prix race win in 2012 came with huge amounts of pressure, not only in the closing stages but throughout the whole 78 lap race. It is one thing to finish a race in the principality, what with the ever present crash barriers, but to lead a chasing pack of up to six cars without making a single error is impressive; something Webber did in style.
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| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
He may not have been the quickest, second to the now retired Michael Schumacher (but he inherited pole position due to the seven time world champion's grid penalty) in qualifying, over the race weekend but he certainly showcased his cool and controlled nature out front. Off the line he made a clean start to lead the pack into St. Devote and from then on there was no chance. The limited overtaking opportunities meant that the train of cars behind him, notably Rosberg and Fernando Alonso, were all hoping for that one error which gives them the rare window of hope.
It never came and the Aussie crossed the line to win the coveted race for the second time. Impressively the top six were separated by just six seconds, I cannot even imagine the pressure that was put on Webber but it was a dominant and impressive display of consistency. Not all races have to be overtaking, incident filled spectacles. I was just as content sitting on the edge of my seat feeling just an ounce of the tense atmosphere of that on the Red Bull pit wall.
Two tracks spring to mind when thinking of Mark Webber, Monaco but also Silverstone. He has always excelled at the "home of motorsport" and has one that event twice. It is one of just a few "classic" or "prestigious" races (Monaco being one of them) which makes both his victories in 2010 and 2012 all the more special. The latter stands out to me as one which shows his true Aussie grit.
 |
| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
Silverstone is a track where confidence in the car is very, very important. High speed corners like Copse, Becketts and Maggots suit the Red Bull perfectly so it was no surprise that one of their drivers won. However many expected Sebastian Vettel, who dominated the race in 2011, to take victory on track. The German had to settle for second best at Red Bull and rightfully so as Webber was truly majestic. He may have had DRS help but his move on Alonso for the lead around the outside at Brooklands.
The 2007 Japanese Grand Prix did not end in the ideal way for Webber, in fact rather ironically he was punted out of the race by current team-mate Sebastian Vettel (who was racing for Toro Rosso) whilst behind the safety car. The appearance of the Mercedes CLK63 was thanks to Fernando Alonso's damaged McLaren who had gone off in the treacherous conditions, the double world champions troubles only emphasised just how bad the conditions really were.
After starting the race from eighth on the grid the Aussie moved up to sixth place whilst behind the safety car (which started the race) due to the two Ferrari's pitting. When the lights went out on the safety car to signal the start of the racing action on lap 19 Webber showcased his skills in wet conditions, carving his way through the field whilst others faltered to run fourth after the first official racing lap.
 |
| (c) Tagroom |
When the safety car appeared for the second time, to clear up the already mentioned Alonso crash, he was running an impressive second. You have to also remember that throughout the race he was suffering from food poising and was actually sick in the car. But in typical Webber style he persevered. Not only did a potential podium look possible, he could have won the race. However that soon changed after Lewis Hamilton suddenly slowed to warm up his brakes. Webber reacted accordingly but Vettel was seemingly fast asleep, ploughing into the back of Webber's car. He managed to limp back to his pit garage to have a sob as a fuming Mark pulled off to the side of the track. Little did we know at the time that the two would eventually partner up at Red Bull, along with the fact that their controversial relationship lives on.
Mark has always raced well on street tracks, as is evident by what you have just been reading. These circuits need pin point precision, 100% focus and a feeling of ease and confidence with the car and its abilities. On the run up to the 2005 Monaco Grand Prix Webber had ran under the radar. However after his performance on the challenging street circuit people started to stand up and take notice.
Lining up third on the grid was the first glimpse of how fast Webber could really go. The lap was truly stunning, error free and on the edge but without pushing the car too far. You could tell that, for the first time that year, he had found the sweet spot with his Williams. The race was largely uneventful up until the 23rd lap where Christian Albers comically spun his Minardi at Mirabeau, blocking the track. By that point Webber had dropped to fifth but he was fired up and knew what the car could do. He displaced Fisichella and Trulli through strategy but then lost a position himself to his team-mate, something he was not too keen on (and understandably so!)
His then team-mate Heidfeld managed to get past a struggling Fernando Alonso with some ease - I say some as it is never easy in Monaco - but when Webber tried to replicate the move into the harbour-side chicane Alonso cut the corner. He tried again. Alonso cut the corner again. Webber eventually got by the ailing Renault to score his debut podium finish in Formula 1 after three tough seasons. It was not only well deserved but it actually put him on my radar, I had never really payed much attention to him up until that moment.
He may have missed out on the luck suffered by team-mate Sebastian Vettel, but when he looks back at his career in Formula 1 Mark will most definitely have plenty of fond memories. There were some ugly moments, a few jaw dropping ones and those that made everyone smile.
You have to also say that he has had plenty of missed opportunities, particularly in his early years with Jaguar and Red Bull where good results were on the cards. He has also come back from terrifying crashes, Brazil 2003 and Valencia 2010 sprint to mind immediately, with relaxed ease. He is rarely phased and that is what makes him such an exciting driver.
How many more races will he complete? Only he knows but at the end of the 2013 season we will certainly get a better idea.
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