Webber: “In the end you know you’re on your own”

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Mark Webber says “It’s just not easy to have complete friendships” in F1.

Links

We drive in teams but F1 is for lone rangers, says Webber (Sydney Morning Herald)

“It’s just not easy to have complete friendships. I think you have closer friends from outside of your profession. You pick up the odd one or two along the way for sure, but [they’re counted] on the one hand. ‘You think there’s a camaraderie, but in the end you know you’re on your own.”

Mercedes-Benz.tv: TV-Spot ‘Sunday Driver’ (Youtube)

Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen in a Mercedes advert.

I haven’t seen this advert on television – it was on Mercedes’ F1 website yesterday. Apparently the lady at the end is a model called Zoe Hobbs, but the German version of the ad has Franz Beckenbauer instead.

Showdown in Lapland – Nico vs. Keke in a Family Duel (Youtube)

Thanks to Ben for the tip!

RBR denies overspending in 2010 (Autosport)

Christian Horner: “Contrary to speculation, we completely adhered to the RRA within 2010 – and Red Bull Racing had only perhaps the third or fourth-largest budget in Formula 1. We’ve achieved great efficiency in reducing the headcount versus our external spend.”

Comment of the day

I’m always jealous of those who got to see the old greats driving. Here’s a comment from Jeffrey:

I had the great honour of watching Jim Clark in all but Indy Cars. At the time it seemed some magic force was pulling his cars along. Check out his performance in a one of drive of a works Lotus Cortina in the RAC rally.

It is almost impossible to compare drivers from different eras, but knowing how Jackie Stewart thought of Clark – and having watched Jackie’s destruction of other drivers, even his great mate the super quick Jochen Rindt – if Stewart thinks Jimmy was best who are we to differ?
Jeffrey Powell

From the forum

Tom L. asks who is the best driver never to have won a Grand Prix?

Happy birthday!

Two birthdays today so all the best to Romulo Shortback and Del Boy!

On this day in F1

Two years ago Pedro de la Rosa told us all about the Motorland Aragon facility in Spain he’d helped design. The question is, with a track this cool, why are both of Spain’s F1 races at such dull circuits?

Image © Red Bull/Getty images

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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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41 comments on “Webber: “In the end you know you’re on your own””

  1. On the topic of videos… don’t know if this has popped up in the past but I did enjoy this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9QH8-lKEYY

    1. It beautifully captures the spirit of both Senna and his rivalry with Prost. Thanks for putting in the link.

  2. Oh and also I think you’ve (you have) got your “you’re” and “your” mixed up in the headline.

    1. Yeah, if my fluked English pass tells me anything – it is meant to be: “you’re (you are) on your own”

  3. Webber: “In the end you know you’re on you’re own”
    Did anybody else read this and think that maybe he was following Jacques Villeneuve into a singing/songwriting career?

    In The End You Know You’re On Your Own sounds like some sad love ballad. Or an emo faux-punk pop-rock cacophony of noise that all the thirteen year old think was written just for them because they think they know how the world works.

    1. Nope. I would say this is yet another dig at Red Bull. Webber knows that his career is in its twilight and most likely has a fairly water tight contract for 2011.

      What does he have to lose?

      1. I think you’re reading too much into it. This isn’t a dig at RB, if it was he would say it was. This is Webber we’re talking about, he doesn’t leave much to interpretation.

        1. jimscreechy (@)
          9th January 2011, 4:58

          I agree, I think he is just reflecting at a point in time when he has a fairly knowledgable perspective how how things work in general in the sport. Probably not just F1 either as it happens. Besides, he isn’t the first driver to iterate opinions of this nature.

          I wouldn’t want to generalise too much but I have certainly held this notion to be true based on the opionos of drivers who have spoken about f1 friendships and relationships.

          1. I’m not sure about that, there have been friends in F1. Often the friendships are of a mentor student nature but friendships nonetheless

            Fangio and Moss, Stewart and Cervert, Schumacher and Massa.

            Not sure about Button and Hamilton but they seem to be perfectly happy as mates, which is nice.

          2. which is exactly what he’s saying. You may become friends with a handful of people (and notice how every example you said was 1+1), but certainly its not as if the whole grid go down to the pub together.

        2. Webber’s almost turning into a decoder or translator for F1.. he always speaks his head.

          and on this situation, he’s right. Theres no friends on the racetrack, and its very hard to stay friends with someone you’ve crashed into (which will happen)

          1. He’s becoming an after F1 DC!!

      2. I think Webber is just saying that you won’t see him catching up down at the pub with the other drivers on their days off. I don’t see it as a dig at anyone. He’s pretty much just stating the obvious – respect your competitors but don’t fool yourself into thinking they are your best mate.

      3. Yeah, what do you expect from a man managed by Flabio? … SSDD :(

    2. almost sounds like a country song. Add some twang on it and there you go a cheesy country song.

      1. It would be a pretty interesting theme to play when Webber wins his next GP, wouldn’t it?

        Interesting insight in Webbers motives.

  4. Remember peeps: anyone who fancies racing in the F1 2010 championship later should let Magnificent Geoffrey know asap. There’ll be at least two spots free- and possibly more https://www.racefans.net/forum/topic.php?id=900&page=8#post-16551

  5. Nico needs to keep the beard for next season

    1. Makes him look a lot more mature, doesn’t it? I would love it if he grew himself a moustache to match his fathers though, that would be real canny.

      Did you notice the car in that video is a BMW? Nice detail.
      A shame they did not ask Kimi or Heikki to join in, those guys might have beaten both of them.

      1. Neither Kimi nor Heikki have a contract with Mercedes, so that would be impossible, sadly.

      2. I would love it if he grew himself a moustache to match his fathers though, that would be real canny.

        It might propel him to win the championship! A moustache that big works kind of like the fan on the Brabham fan car in my estimation. It certainly worked for his dad, as well as Mansell.

  6. Fernando Alonso Bahrain 2010 lap on slide guitar

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9V8oAOUMSs&feature=related

  7. Who’s the girl who overtakes Hakkinen in the video?

    1. It’s mentioned in the text (a model called Zoe Hobbs). The German one with Beckenbouer would be fun to see as well.

      Very nice advert!

      1. The ad is shown in Germany occasionally. I must admit I enjoyed it and for the first time realized that Hakkinen and Schumacher are now ‘in the same team’. Who would have believed that a couple of years back.

  8. Not sure why they bothered with a UK version of the MB ad seeing how you can’t buy their 4wd system on RHD e class and the G class I think is predicted to sell about 50 this year…

    Wish I was bored and talented enough at CGI to stick Damon Hill in a Range Rover and have him run MSC off the road..

    1. Real shame, you did not bother. I would also love to see Jacques Villeneuve jumping in some toyota NASCAR Truck and drive him off the road.

    2. Well, Hill already had plenty of occasions where he ran MSC off the road in 1995, don’t you worry.

  9. Happy Birthday wishes for both Romulo Shortback and for Del Boy.
    Have a big party to celebrate!

  10. I love that ad…..
    I miss Mika in F1. Hey, if we get $120 together, maybe HRT will take him!.. Hell, He might drive it in a straight line as well.

  11. Hmmmm, referring MSC as a “Sunday Driver” could be seen as a dig on him by his fans ……. having done unexpectedly badly this season, I would have expected MSC to be the one in the GLS not an unknown “Model” ….. jm2p and Iam not one of his fans …

    1. Yeah but it was a joke, i.e. “Sunday Driver” normally = Dozy elderly person, “Sunday Driver” = F1 Driver :-D

  12. It’s nice to see Mika and Michael working with, instead of against, each other for once. :-)

  13. Great video of the Rosbergs. Nico looks odd with a beard though

  14. ”You have to respect your opposition” hah ??

    That’s the man who said “boy, that felt good” when he passed Michael in Hungary.

    what a jerk ??

    1. I actually think it was his respect for Michael that led to that comment. Getting a chance to lap a 7 time world champ who used to previously lap him a bunch of times must have felt very good.

  15. Omg!! Are you experts ever going to work it out, Webber like most Australians is only speaking his mind and being honest, there is NO science to it!!

  16. Down to the 50’s now!! 59 and counting.

  17. Am I seeing things, or is Keke wearing a Washington Redskins beanie!?

Comments are closed.