Webber praises Red Bull’s “best winter ever”

2011 Australian Grand Prix

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Mark Webber, Red Bull, Barcelona, 2011

Mark Webber says Red Bull have had “the best winter ever” preparing for the new F1 season.

Looking ahead to the first race of the season Webber said: “I hope I can improve my luck there, as it hasn’t been incredible since my first Grand Prix in 2002.

“I hope to get my best result and there’s every indication we can do that. This is the best winter we’ve had – let’s hope we can carry it on into the first event.”

He says the team still have a lot to learn about the new Pirelli tyres: “We’ve done a huge amount of testing and a lot of work has gone into the cars – now we’ll put them through their paces at Albert Park and lots of questions will be answered.

“It’s going to be an eventful weekend, especially as the weather can be a bit hit-and-miss. We’ll learn a lot about the tyres, which will play a huge role.”

Sebastian Vettel will start his first race as the defending world champion and is eager to get started:

“It all starts from zero again; we’re excited, we’ve had enough of testing now and we want to go racing again.”

2011 Australian 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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    15 comments on “Webber praises Red Bull’s “best winter ever””

    1. Who would have thought, after 9 seasons, that Mark Webber’s (equal) best finish at his home grand prix would be in his debut in a Minardi?

      1. It could’ve been different, had that FW28 lasted until the finish.

    2. Lolz, Webbo singing praises already? ….. signs of desperation? Or is he relinquishing the prospects of having to beat the current Champion?

      Can’t wait to see how the season unfolds….. :-)

      1. Where did you see praises for Seb in that statement? Both drivers praise the team’s work which is completely natural. I’m sure Webbo is as fired up as ever to fight Seb on track. Let’s hope it’s exciting! :)

    3. Webber is a quality driver although whenever he gets to Aus the pressure always seems to get the better of him and he becomes wreckless as hes always out trying to prove a point to the home crowd! prime example being the way he wiped Hamilton out last year!! Really hoping Red Bull dont just romp away from the rets of the field otehrwise will be a very long and dull season indeed!

      1. Last year it was the team who first made the bad call not to stop in time with Vettel and then totally sacrificed Webbers race and let him out another lap longer getting him stuck in the midfield.

    4. Indeed Melbourne will be interesting. Usually I have a bit of an image in my head as to how I think a race weekend will go, but my head is just full of DRS, KERS and tyre complications :D

    5. I am going to be cheering Webber on passionately from the stands. I think Webber delivering a win at home would be the next best thing after winning the world championship! If he wins, I will be mentally happy! :P

      1. That sounds stupid. I will be incredibly happy!

        1. Agreed, you really have to earn an Australian fan’s support. Surprisingly, for all our patriotism, we won’t blindly support anyone flying the flag.

          Given his results in Melbourne have been somewhat average, he doesn’t have much of the ‘bandwagon’ support.

          One win at home and that all changes. He’d know this and it drives him to make overly risky & aggressive moves. Hopefully this year he can keep his head.

          1. I think all the doubters in Australia are just imbeciles. I remember when he was with Jaguar, people would say things like; “This Mark Webber is a joke, isn’t he? He’s been in F1 for 2 years and he hasn’t even won a race!” People continued to say that right up until his first win, but even then they couldn’t believe how long it had taken him. It really hurts when you hear stuff like that, actually. It’s like when your friend can’t tell the difference between Indy Car or Formula Ford and Formula 1!

            1. Jack Flash - Adelaide
              19th March 2011, 2:16

              Simple solution…

              Get yourself some better friends mate! JF

            2. @Jack Flash: I don’t think my friends (yep, I lied! :P) have ever made that mistake, but I’ve known people to mistake Indy Cars for F1 cars. I would never befriend someone like that! :P

              But I remember being particularly annoyed at the 2009 Australian Grand Prix at all the school children who went to the Grand Prix as an excursion and got all excited about the “Formula 1” cars when the Formula Ford practice was on! Nothing against them, but I would have given my right arm to see an F1 race, and they couldn’t care less.

              It also made me angry when I was waiting to get an autograph and a bunch of Aboriginal (nothing against them, either) children were walked into the paddock to meet the drivers. I’d have probably killed to get in there! :P

            3. Jack Flash - Adelaide
              20th March 2011, 3:56

              @damonsmedley: Life isn’t fair – get used to it. Apart from the kids gettin’ a free ride to a ‘once in a lifetime’ access to the pit paddock – when they don’t know of or care about F1 like others do; I would ask this….. HOW MANY of the 100’s of corporate box Pratts attending the races in luxury on a company representation ticket, actually give a crap or have a passion for the F1 sport either? So, while they’re stuffin’ their faces, sippin’ champagne, and walkin around the paddock with no idea of ‘***** from clay’ as far a s F1 is concerned; most of the the REAL F1 fans have to make do with the crumbs of what they can afford for a Field/Stand ticket.
              PS: Thanks to Bernie Ecclestone – you greedy $$ FOM leech – for evolving that situation over the years. JF

    6. He is right Red Bull had good preparation now it;s time for them to prove it on track & I am looking on him to deliver this season.

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