What now for Mark Webber?

[MarkG]

Will he leave Red Bull before his contract expires?
If he stays, he might as well just switch off the radio and race as he sees fit, what does he have to lose? He might then though, suffer some "unreliability" issues such as telemetry failure or Kers problems etc.

[one five five]

He'll race out the year, and if he races on into 2014 i'd say the only place he'd want to be would be Red Bull.

I don't think much changed last Sunday other than bringing the Vettel/Webber feud back into focus.

Webber has felt like the "#2" for four seasons, has had problems with Vettel before, and has kept on re-signing with the team.

Last weekend Webber got support from the team who have publically said Vettel was in the wrong, so there is no question of Webber not feeling 'loved' any less than he has for the last few seasons.

I predict he will do what he has done, come out fighting, grin and bear and remember the fact he has one of the best, if not the best, cars on the grid and it will likely remain thus into 2014 even with rule changes.....

I don't see Webber striving to drive for anyone else, i think he'll be with Red Bull through the end of his career, the only question being will his last season be this year or the next (or who know's, he'll have a late summer renaissance like one Mr Mansell and race on until 40)

[kipper]

Assuming that he wants to carry on in F1, I guess the key factor is what, if any, offers he gets. For example, Webber may decide that being at Red Bull alongside Vettel (and all that it entails) is a better option that being team leader/on clear parity at the likes of Sauber or Williams. Another strand is whether Red Bull would want to retain him; after all they may decide that Vergne or Ricciardo are better bets for the future.

[VIVA GT]

I thought he was supposed to be going to Renault?

[ScotsBrutesFan]

If Webber left Red Bull, there are 2 questions:

1 who could afford him?

And if no one wants to pay him then

2 What sponsorship/money would he take to another team?

[Knowlesy]

This will be his last season.

Then he'll simply retire and be a stereotypical Aussie sat at home watching Home And Away and re-runs of Neighbours.

[MarkG]

I'd like him to go racing the V8s

[Aysedasi]

Perhaps he could take flying lessons in case Mercedes go back into sportscar racing.....?

[Marbot]

I think that he should write a book. Should be enough stuff to put in one.

[Aysedasi]

Chapter 1

Me and My Bestest Mate Seb.

[Swedish Brick]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Perhaps he could take flying lessons in case Mercedes go back into sportscar racing.....?

*giggle*

Maybe he will accept a drive at somewhere like Force India or Mercedes claiming they are now one of the top teams to save face against his comments of not wanting to move down the order

[chunterer]

It's his last year anyway, so I suspect he will 'agree' that he won't do anything daft to stop cars finishing races but it's each to their own until Interlagos. If he wins races the 'team' wins but he won't be playing wing man anymore, i'll bet.

Then if we get to Brazil and it's Seb vs Fonz again and Webbo can influence the outcome, I think we can safely assume what will happen this time!

[Paradise City]

There will be a frosty relationship between Webber and Vettel that will resolve itself when Webber is offloaded by Red Bull after the 2013 season.

It'll make for some interesting times until then. There's no way to resolve this whilst Webber is onboard, the bridges are burnt. They can only attempt to manage the relationship. So plenty of material for forum discussion on this issue on its way.

[Kempi]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Then if we get to Brazil and it's Seb vs Fonz again and Webbo can influence the outcome, I think we can safely assume what will happen this time!

Same as last year: he will race VET and make life hard for him? Nothing that would be new, really.

[fomoco]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

This will be his last season.

Then he'll simply retire and be a stereotypical Aussie sat at home watching Home And Away and re-runs of Neighbours.

Hmmm, stero type response, I agree I think he will change teams, or retire, or sell his half of the team he has with honer, and write a book about it.

But , then again, could watch Coro St, East Enders, etc, ahh the old dart.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by MarkG

Will he leave Red Bull before his contract expires?
If he stays, he might as well just switch off the radio and race as he sees fit, what does he have to lose? He might then though, suffer some "unreliability" issues such as telemetry failure or Kers problems etc.

Well, he could ask Rubens Barrichello or Felipe Massa what to do...

[GTRMagic]

Would Mr Webber really be welcome at somewhere like Williams? Would he want to go there? Would they have the sponduli to accommodate him?

It is probably unlikely that Mr Webber will be at the top of any other team's list, for while he is the most *cough* experienced pilot in the field, his age may preclude such a thing.

That said.. if he finishes the season with the #1 to bring somewhere... presumably he will be welcomed with open arms just about anywhere

[Razzzor]

It's all very much just speculation. Who knows if Webber wants to keep racing like Rubens and Michael. He's still pretty quick really, compared to Vettel would we in the top 5 drivers from the last 15 years, he pretty much beat him in the last race. He still gives Seb a run for his money.

I don't see why any other team wouldn't want him, apart from the big teams that already have a solid lineup (Lotus, Ferrari, Mercedes). The rest could take him on, if he wants to join a team he probably can't win in.

It would be good to see him up against another driver actually, he's been alongside Vettel for a long time, and Coulthard in his twilight years wasn't really a good comparison, although he didn't really beat Coulthard consistently. V8 Supercars would be good too.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Razzzor

It's all very much just speculation. Who knows if Webber wants to keep racing like Rubens and Michael. He's still pretty quick really, compared to Vettel would we in the top 5 drivers from the last 15 years, he pretty much beat him in the last race. He still gives Seb a run for his money.

I don't see why any other team wouldn't want him, apart from the big teams that already have a solid lineup (Lotus, Ferrari, Mercedes). The rest could take him on, if he wants to join a team he probably can't win in.

It would be good to see him up against another driver actually, he's been alongside Vettel for a long time, and Coulthard in his twilight years wasn't really a good comparison, although he didn't really beat Coulthard consistently. V8 Supercars would be good too.

He can stay at be a good number 2, the money is good, the food is good, the team is top, so why leave and do a Barrichello ?
Unless there's a potential middle-to-the-top hiring and the challenge is not good enough for a guy like Webber.

[Born Racer]

He needs to work out his views on teamwork. Malaysia happens and people jump to Mark's defence. Mark almost stuffs up Seb's race in Brazil a few time and little is mentioned.

[Aysedasi]

Well, if that's what he did, I bloody well hope he does it every race for the rest of the season. I would be truly delighted if Vettel failed to score another point in this year's WDC........

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

It is probably unlikely that Mr Webber will be at the top of any other team's list, for while he is the most *cough* experienced pilot in the field, his age may preclude such a thing.

The most experienced driver in the field, the official 'statesman' is actually one Jenson Button. Amazing to think given how young he seems and is!

[Knowlesy]

He's been around for what feels like forever.

[Paradise City]

His age hurts him. But even more his tendency to get embroiled in controversy within and without the team hurts him too. The latter is an unfortunate prejudice as the controversy has not been his fault but it counts against him when a prospective team boss weighs him up as an option.

That said being a veteran of the imperious Red Bull squad may make a team boss reevaluate him as someone who can provide golden experience of a crack team. Personally unless a No 2 opening at Ferrari reveals itself this could easily be Webbers's last year.

[AussieTimmeh]

I'm genuinely interested to know how much development Mark brings to the car with his experience, if any. As in, if Webber was replaced by a junior driver with no experience with that lineage of cars, if the development would suffer and therefore hurt Vettel's chances of another title. I wonder if the driver input has nil, little, or a significant effect on driving the course of development.

Of course it's hard to say, if Webber were to leave and the next years Red Bull was not on the pace, it'd be hard to link the two because of rule changes. I am not sure we'd ever know, but it makes me wonder how much these things affect F1 teams.