Webber: “I just couldn’t get the pace”

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Mark Webber, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2010

Mark Webber said he simply didn’t have the pace to qualify any higher for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

He told reporters after the session:

Of course, to be fifth on the grid is not very good. So it’s disappointing, of course but there’s still a long way to go tomorrow. The fat lady hasn’t sung yet. I would like to be further up but I just couldn’t get the pace. So it’s disappointing.
Mark Webber

Asked about how aggressively he would drive at the start of the race from fifth position he said:

We need to be there at the end, of course. A lot of things can still happen in the race.

I haven’t helped things with my performance today but we’ve seen how races can change. The championship hasn’t been decided today but it would have been nice to be further up.

You could be more confident but at the end of the day we’re still in the hunt, that’s the main thing.
Mark Webber

2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    22 comments on “Webber: “I just couldn’t get the pace””

    1. I wonder what tyre strategy he will adopt. He has nothing to lose on a long shot…he needs to be ahead of Alonso. If he isn’t ahead of Alonso, he might as well pull into the garage and have an early mark.

      1. I believe Webber did his qualifying lap on the options which I believe are super softs, so he has to start on those. The track could be hard on those tires so they might pit early and put the primes (mediums) on. I’d say a 2 stop race with the 2nd stint on primes and 3rd on options for a fast lapping end to the race. Hopefully Webber has a chance but I can’t see Alonso losing his 3rd world championship.

    2. The fat lady hasn’t dung yet.

      Ewwww.

      1. lol! one typo you don’t need to change Keith!

      2. Fixed – sorry about that!

      3. That’s traditional Aussie slang.

    3. Hope Fernando uses this chance at the best!

    4. :D Q1 was pretty exciting. Hope the race is more interesting than last year’s race…

    5. so friggin epic. it´s impossible to determine an outcome yet…

    6. Webber is doomed, I hope Vettel wins.

    7. So Mark “couldn’t find the pace” eh? I guess we don’t have to worry about Seb “gifting” anything to Webber if his car is “missing” performance.

      Takes away from the team order concept, doesn’t it? Just detune the guys car and we don’t have to worry about Webber any more.

      1. *sigh*

        (maybe F1 fans are also conspiracyfans? To me every time when we’ve seen conspiracies, people were just plain dumb, making bad decisions or saying stupid things. Guys, that’s just it!)

        1. It’s psychological. People refuse to see something as true and then build up their own version of the truth on their minds.

          1. I also predict that if Webber is in the lead beware of gunmen on the grassy knolls :)

            Just having fun guys, don’t get too serious before the greatest race of the year. But Mark hasn’t been that far off Vettel’s pace all year, has he??? Gives me cause to wonder, that’s all.

    8. So is he really quittin RBR next year? Webber i mean…

      1. What?? verstappen above was just on about guys like you.

    9. Well at least he’s honest. good to see he didn’t blame the car or set-up or anything. Dissappointing but as he says, long way to go. i’m hoping for some first corner carnage…

    10. Sure Webber hasn’t performed as well as he should have in quali, but had RBR backed him just once over this season, he’d have (most likely) had the title wrapped up already, and his 5th place in quali would have not mattered. Well done RBR, we all warned you that this would happen. The best you can hope for now is that Alonso shares his victory champers with you.

    11. Daniel Ricciardo is testing in Webber’s car on Monday;)

    12. On Webber

      http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/meet-the-real-mark-webber-20101113-17ruv.html

      I have a feeling Webber’s car will work off the line and in the first lap this time. Rubens is hopefully still not starting that well from immediately behind him and Massa who is a start demon is at least on the dirty side on his outside.

      Hamilton right through this season has grown immensely as a person but there’s been racing errors of judgement creeping in during this second half of the season that we hadn’t seen before and equally he has nothing to lose. That’s going to give Vettel some pause but he also needs P1 desperately and you wouldn’t think going by Vettel’s poor overtaking record that he’s going to get it done versus Hamilton on the track after the opening laps. The RBR has always looked worst in the dirty air of the McLaren all year (remember Webber-Hamilton shunt in Melbourne and all those times Vettel got stuck behind them and couldnt even get the RBR in close enough to attack them without graining up his tyres. Turn 1 will be interesting

      For Hamilton, besides the Senna incident and reprimand, Massa reckons Hamilton twice blocked him in qualifying and complained to the stewards but no action taken. It would be disappointing for any action to affect the championship but he’ll be on eggshells with the stewards. I also heard a report he was sick but getting better.

      Alonso is in the box seat if his engine holds.. He’s got sensible drivers behind him and the rattier ones in front. I also don’t think Webber will go over the hard but fair line and knock Alonso out for Vettel’s benefit (sorry Helmut & Dieter but you’re just not worth it).

      All of the above could also turn on its head. And what’s P2 vs P3 in the constructors worth in euros for McLaren & Ferrari? That could play a big factor in how Button and Massa play it.

    13. He really needed to get the best out of him this weekend,the problem is on Sunday he is behind three others who also wants to win like him.

    14. I would love to see Mark win. That is all I really have to say!

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