Webber 2012 ?
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I think 2010 really showed “yet again” what a difference a great car makes, particularly in the hands of M. Webber.
10 full seasons is pretty epic in F1, I am curious to see if many others think Webber has an F1 driving career past this year?
I am sure he will ~ if he wins the World Title, but if he finishes below say “5th” in rankings, I have a funny feeling RedBull won’t renew his contract & I cannot see him driving for anyone other than ferrari or renault & Mclarens locked up with Button & Hamilton, I do not seeing him joining a lesser established team, possibly due to pride.
Anyway, just curious on others thoughts??, thanks
Hmmm…. From you username, avatar and the fact that you’ve created a thread about Mark Webber, I get this strange feeling as if you and I might share something in common with each other.
No idea what it could be, though.
To be honest last year was his only chance to win the title but he cocked it up. If the car is fully reliable for both drivers I can’t see Mark doing so well. I think this year will most likely be his last.
I don’t think he’ll ever join Ferrari. Kubica and Vettel might do it in future, but for Webber it’s too late: Alonso joined after 9 years in the sport but he has won 2 titles and has time to win more, Webber can’t change team as it would require time to adapt and be able to challenge.
I do not seeing him joining a lesser established team, possibly due to pride.
I don’t think he has as much proud as Kimi, maybe at Renault he could go, and if he didn’t he’d be out for ever as Kimi showed us.
” I do not seeing him joining a lesser established team, possibly due to pride.”
I don’t think it would be because of pride but becauise he spent years working his way up and won’t see the point of just making up the numbers at this time in his life. I think his nmotivation would take a bigger hit than his pride if he went to a midfield team.
If he did join Ferrari I don’t think it would take long at all to adapt; Kimi won in his debut year and Fernando came so close to his 3rd title in his first year with the squad.
I think if there was an offer from Ferrari then Mark would join but I’m not sure if he’d really like it for long. There’s this image that Ferrari is starting to revolve around Fernando (I don’t believe it personally) and given Mark’s comments all last season about RBR and Vettel I’m not sure he’d feel entirely comfortable in that position or maybe he really does like playing the underdog routine.
Webber had the perfect chance to take the title in 2010. I can see him finishing his career at the team possible at the end of 2012.
Assuming he doesn’t totally mess up 2011, I don’t see why Webber shouldn’t still be here for 2012. He may have lost out on his best ever chance at the Championship in 2010, but he was still very close to Vettel.
If Webber WANTS to stay for 2012, and so long as he’s as good in 2011 as he was in 2010, I think Red Bull will keep him. I don’t see him moving teams though- I doubt he would want to move to a slower team, and I think McLaren and Ferrari would want someone younger.
So put it this way- I expect Red Bull will be the last team Webber drives for, but I think there’s a good chance of him still being here in 2012 (unless he doesn’t want to).
Webber only had a car able to take him to the championship in one of his ten years in the sport. Plus he was battling his own team most of the way.
I see two scenarios for 2012:
1) Retirement
2) Stop-gap to replace Massa (if he doesn’t come back to form) until Kubica proves he’s made a full comeback
I also really don’t see why people are writing off Mark Webber so soon for this year’s championship. He has better racecraft than Vettel, is a better overtaker (unless Hamilton is involved) and should be much better at managing the tyres this year. Now the racing’s not all going to be about grid position and Red Bull aren’t so dominant as they were last year (I see the RB7 as a 1989 McLaren to the RB6’s 1988 McLaren), Vettel is not going to have such an easy time of it.
I am very optimistic about Webber’s chances this year. He had a poor start and a poor finish to the season last year, so I’d be surprised if he hasn’t fixed that this year. He was probably the fastest man on the track in Melbourne, he just couldn’t get past Hamilton! And that’s a good point Icthyes; whenever he gets near Hamilton, a terrific battle seems to break out. The thing I love about Hamilton vs Webber is that they are clean most of the time, although sometimes it does end in tears, (Melbourne and Singapore) yet they seem to have a lot of respect for each other. Hamilton wasn’t upset with Webber in Melbourne or Singapore (even though Melbourne was almost entirely Mark’s fault) which is refreshing. Too often, two drivers will establish themselves as rivals to each other and they’ll often be involved in scraps – which is good. But it is very rare that those two drivers remain civil and even appear to be friends at the end of the race. I can only hope there are many more Hamilton-Webber battles this year, although I’m still waiting to see the big one; Vettel vs Hamilton. Providing Vettel has ironed out some of that impetuousness from 2010, that should make for some incredible racing. But then, I suppose we have to hope the McLaren is fast enough to be anywhere near the Red Bulls, too. There are so many variables going into this season. I can’t wait! :)
Two options I think are realistic.
1. If he wins the WDC (before I’m accused of being a Webber fanboy, he does have the fastest car on the grid, so it’s possible), he’ll “do a Nigel” and retire. Bring on car 0!
2. If he doesn’t, I suspect he’ll stay with Red Bull on another one year contract. The drivers waiting in line for his seat don’t quite measure up just yet (Buemi and Alguersuari haven’t really impressed so far, and Riccardo won’t be ready for the Red Bull seat just yet). Who else is there in the sport that is impressive enough and not tied to a team?
I don’t think Mark is quite ready for retirement yet, he’s two years younger than Trulli, 4 years younger than Barrichello, and then there’s Schumacher. He may not have many years left, but he still has a few. Note that Schumacher won his last WDC at the same age Webber will be this year, no-one in 2004 was suggesting Michael was getting too old to race.
He’s working with Christian Horner on a GP3 team called MW Arden. I could see him picking up Toro Rosso and renaming it once he retires. Of course, as Alain Prost found out te hard way, being a team principal is vastly different to being a driver.
With Horners comments earlier in the week, what about a straight swap with Hamilton? It is F1, people, and anything is possible.
WEBBER FOR THE 2011 TITLE!!!!!!
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