user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list

The urge to stay fit 'went away' - Mark Webber

  • Published on 05 Nov 2013 13:50
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Mark Webber has admitted fading motivation prompted his decision to retire from formula one. Austin and Brazil will be the Australian veteran's last two grands prix in a career spanning more than a decade, and netting 9 wins and 40 podiums. Webber, 37, is switching to Le Mans sports cars, to head Porsche's new prototype foray.

But he admits he was already starting to think about retirement last year. "Porsche wanted me for 2013," revealed Webber, "but I said that I wasn't ready yet. But during that year (2012) I started to think about a change. I had already been at Red Bull for a very long time, so you do think about doing something else. That's human nature," he explained.

Webber admits he courted a move to Ferrari, but ultimately decided last Christmas to quit F1. Another factor, he said, was his fitness. "A lot of people have trained with me," Webber told Speed Week, "but most are gone after less than two years. I never had to be motivated to keep fit. But over the past year the urge went away. So I had to ask myself why. Then it becomes clear - 'Mark, you're not 19 anymore!'

He admitted that, increasingly, the desire to do things other than F1 crept in. "In my case, the reasons are very personal," said Webber. "I want to spend more time with my family, my partner, my friends. Suddenly there are things on the radar that weren't there before. I had often heard other sportsmen and woman talk about the problem of their motivation going away, but I always thought to myself, 'What?' "But the fact is that it does go away!" he admitted.

"Also, when you're 36, you think differently to when you're 25, and that doesn't just go for drivers. As an athlete, you put so much into your career. I wouldn't say that we make sacrifices, but if you start thinking that, then maybe it is time to do something else. You have to believe that it's all worth it. I'm enjoying the summer in Australia and then suddenly you have to go to Jerez for winter testing and you think, 'Hmm...'"

"But I also knew that I wouldn't be happy if I stopped racing completely. You have to find a balance, something that stimulates you and I've found that with Porsche. I know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but it will not be like formula one. Next year there will be 20 grands prix again and if you're in a top team, it's pretty exhausting," he said.

"I want a different balance in my life and the timing is right, and that (finding the right time to retire) is not easy for an athlete. Look at Roger Federer, look at Valentino Rossi. I have the feeling I'm going pretty well at the moment, even if I don't have the results to prove it, for reasons that we both know," he told correspondent Mathias Bruner. (GMM)
F1 News Ferrari

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
141
2
Ferrari
120
3
McLaren
69
4
Mercedes
34
5
Aston Martin
33
6
Visa Cash App RB
7
7
Haas F1
4
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Ferrari
Ferrari
Show full profile
show sidebar