Mark Webber puts F1 in the past with WEC title

  • Published on 24 Nov 2015 08:41
  • comments 2
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Mark Webber put his F1 career firmly in the past at the weekend by winning his first world championship. It is a drivers' title he shares with his two Porsche teammates in the world endurance championship, the ever more popular world of prototype sports car racing.

Reportedly disillusioned with the direction of the category, the now 39-year-old Australian quit F1 just before the dawning of the controversial new 'power unit' era. Webber says Le Mans-style racing is now keeping his adrenaline flowing.

"Keeping the momentum in motor sport by going into world endurance to work with a team and company like Porsche has helped me," he told the Daily Mail. "It's hard mentally to give up the adrenaline drug of testing yourself. That's the challenge. It's about feet out of bed in the morning -- what the f*ck am I going to do?'"

He is highly critical of the changes F1 has made over the past decade in particular, rejecting the view that things like 'DRS' overtaking makes the mid-2000s now seem "boring" in contrast. "They say there was no overtaking. But if you look at the grandstands they were full," said Webber. "Look at the TV figures. Why were all those people watching then and not so many now?"

He also seems happy to have left some of his F1 relationships behind, even though Webber says his feud with former teammate Sebastian Vettel is now over. As for Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, however, "We never had a relationship, so it makes no difference," Webber said.

And his former team boss Christian Horner? In his autobiography Aussie Grit, Webber suggested he and Horner drifted apart. "Initially Christian did well to keep his feet firmly on the ground as he started to mix in supposedly higher circles, but inevitably you could see him being seduced by the trappings of an F1 lifestyle," he said.

Asked if he has since reconciled with Horner, Webber said: "He seems pretty busy at the moment, so we'll leave him to it. We are both big enough and ugly enough to move on. We are all sleeping at night." (GMM)

Replies (2)

Login to reply
  • f1dave

    Posts: 782

    Congratulations to Mark, a real gentleman and great race champion !

    • + 0
    • Nov 24 2015 - 18:35
  • khasmir

    Posts: 893

    Good on ya mate ;)

    • + 0
    • Nov 24 2015 - 19:13

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 15:41

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 15:41

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Country Germany
  • Date of b. Jul 3 1987 (37)
  • Place of b. Heppenheim, Germany
  • Weight 62 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile
show sidebar