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Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing sits in his car as he prepares to practice for the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne, Friday March 27, 2009. The Australian Grand Prix will take place on March 29. (AAP Image/Martin Philbey
At long last! Mark Webber is a Grand Prix race winner. It is richly deserved for a driver who has had to battle so hard to reach F1, let alone stay there.
For all the bad luck and the doubters, Webber has proven his capability by joining such an exclusive club. It’s also given a sport gripped by political infighting a feel good story it so desperately needed.
Given Webber’s rocky road in F1, his first Grand Prix win was never going to be conventional.
Despite having the fastest car and in pole position, a misjudged move off the line, slamming into the side of Rubens Barrichello, sent him to the pits for a drive through penalty and could potentially have cost him his greatest chance of a race win.
Had the Webber curse struck again?
Remember the Le Mans disaster with Mercedes in 1999, the ill-fated decision to move to Williams instead of going to what would be the championship winning Renault team, the broken leg in a bicycle crash in his own charity event, etc etc?
But no one would deny Webber this time and a faultless performance and stunning pace, assisted partly by circumstance, gave Webber what he has craved for so long.
Karma owed him big time and it paid some back at the Nurburgring.
The emotion and excitement of his post race radio communication with the team said it all.
Webber may not be the most naturally gifted driver within the current crop, but this makes his achievements even more impressive.
His work ethic and commitment is second to none and this has, sadly, gone largely unnoticed in his homeland.
It was fitting he mentioned the doubters in the post race press conference.
Unaware of the peculiarities of Formula 1, many have derided him for his lack of success.
They should be eating their words right now.
In Webber we have an affable, gracious sporting star unaffected by the ego driven world of Formula 1.
The fact he was able to make it into Formula 1, following years of struggle, climbing the perilous motorsport ladder, highlights his determination and drive.
Put simply, for the generation that grew up with the Australian Grand Prix, Webber has given us the first opportunity to hear the Australian national anthem played on a Grand Prix podium, the first victory for one of our countrymen.
He deserves much praise.
Webber’s win, and the manner in which it was achieved, also demonstrated that for all the political infighting and battle for power, Formula 1 Grand Prix racing remains a sport at its core.
Only this week the tensions between the warring factions, the FIA and FOTA, simmered yet again with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation even coming out and saying it isn’t interested in staging a race without the top F1 teams.
No one would be interested in such a race.
As the protracted battle between the FIA and FOTA continues unabated, the sport is being permanently damaged.
At least the 2009 German Grand Prix provided a distraction from all that bickering and reminded us why we still watch the sport, to see champions like Mark Webber entertain and inspire us.