After a romping win on Sunday night, Mark Webber is poised to force the fickle Australian public to rethink their opinion of him. Like Cadel Evans last year, he can go from being a nearly man to a champion.
One of the most delightful aspects of Cadel’s wonderful win was that he proved so many of us wrong. A few years of ‘good finishes’ and ‘so close, so far’ had pigeonholed him as an exceptional cyclist, but no champion.
So when he ran down Andy Schleck in the time trial, after fighting all alone up the mountains night after night, it was a delightful retort.
Mark Webber had won eight Grand Prix races before Sunday night, but none equal what he did around Silverstone for 300km. On a track where you can pass, the very best drivers in the world had incident free and uneventful runs to the finish, and Mark was *gulp* the fastest!
This is the same Mark Webber who has been a running joke for years for breaking down. The same Mark Webber who is ‘soft’, ‘whiney’ and nowhere near tough enough to be a champion.
On Sunday night, he started surrounded by the three dominant figures of the last decade of Formula 1. Yet Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel could not beat the Australian, despite Vettel being in exactly the same car.
As the season approaches the half way point, Webber is right with Alonso and ahead of Vettel. It is unlikely (but not impossible) that anyone else will figure in the title fight, especially with McLaren’s sudden dip into the midfield.
If Mark can continue the form he showed on Sunday and indeed for the last five months, he will be the Formula 1 Motor Racing Champion of the World.
Which in his own words is “Not bad for a number 2 driver!”
The very fact that Webber is so underrated in Australia is partially due to the lack of interest and knowledge in motor racing.
The casual fan sees Webber not finishing races and then being beaten by his teammate when he has a shot at winning the title. The F1 world watched a man race in a series of mediocre cars and methodically getting the better of highly rated talents like Christian Klein, Antonio Pizzonia, Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld.
Now teamed with Sebastien Vettel, in my opinion the quickest single lap driver we have seen since Ayrton Senna, he has been beaten, but kept his head up so that now Seb isn’t entirely happy with his drive, he has been right there to take over.
Indeed last night he was retained for another season at Red Bull, the best team of the past four years, who are clearly aware of his quality.
The other side of Webber’s ordinary reputation in Australia is our curious tendency to make an immediate snap judgement on an athlete and hold it for the rest of their careers.
Hence Michael Clarke is a lair, despite being stunningly uncontroversial and quiet for the last couple of years.
Benji Marshall is injury prone, despite playing almost every game for the past three years.
Sonny Bill Williams is a money hungry traitor, despite the All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby going out of their way to praise him and his manager for their fairness in their recent negotiations.
And Cadel Evans is too brittle mentally and not strong enough physically to win the Tour de France! How we cheered when he proved us wrong.
Mark Webber had the misfortune of getting his first good Formula 1 seat at Williams at precisely the moment they entered their least competitive period since the mid 1970s.
He is ‘soft’, ‘unreliable’ and no match for the best on the grid.
However, if he repeats his Sunday Masterclass a few more times between now and December, we could have the pleasure of another Aussie champion proving us wrong.
Lee Carney
Guest
this is word for word the same argument I have been making to my friends for the last few weeks (Cadel - Webber comparison) however there is one big IF in OUR argument, and that is the IF. IF he wins the championship, IF he holds his form, IF he learns how to make a car go from Zero to 60 in a relatively short time (ie. fix his bloody starts) and the biggest IF of all the IFs, IF Christian Horner decides to give Webber a fair go this time and not favour Vettel over him and subtly undermine Webber every chance he gets until he has finally crushed his confidence. Webber should have gone to Ferrari. The big mistake he made in his career was not going to be Alonsos teammate at Renault when he chose the Williams ride, and now he is about to make the same mistake again by avoiding being Fernandos teammate at Ferrari. Webber and Alonso are good mates they would be respectful teammates and it would be a great chance for Webber to tell Christian Horner "F*** you for the way you have treated me for the last 4 years.
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Can Mark Webber pull a Cadel? No - I can never see Webber winning Le Tour de France.
Joshua Wells
Roar Rookie
If he wins, we all go on a massive bender. I am rooting for him. I always have and always will, he is a champion in my view, just from what he has done so far. He just needs to confirm his status now by actually winning it. 2012 is his year.
Mat Coch
Roar Guru
Tall poppy syndrome. It is the media's job to have you read what its pedalling. The best way to do that is to sensationalise. You are a hero or a zero, the space in between doesn't sell newspapers or magazines. We read the praise and a thankful Mark is Australian. We read the scorn and generally choose to disagree with such nonsense, gaining a sense of superiority over the writer. Either way you read the article and the journalist did their job. Whether it was ethical is a different matter. I spoke with Mark at that Abu Dhabi race in 2010. Seb received a standing ovation and smelled faintly of champagne in the press conference. The reality is the championship was lost well before that - you don't win a title on the back of one event, but you cna sure as hell lose one.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
He certainly leaves nothing behind eh Rellum! I was in the crowd the day he came 5th on debut for Minardi at Albert Park. What a day!
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Spot on Toby, Spot on
Stumpy
Roar Rookie
Exactly he is a gem. Wish there were more like him.
AndyMack
Guest
Well said Toby. We do tend to have this view that if you win, you are a champion, if you are just a solid competitor then you are a loser and we dont want to know about it. It's a pity, as even coming in the top 10 in formula 1 WC is an amazing acheivement, in such a tough sport to get into and stay in.
AndyMack
Guest
Hey Frank. You know the way you cant stand people who bag Evans and Webber?? Thats how I feel about people who bag M Clarke.....
Rellum
Roar Guru
Personally Webber is the sportsperson the I admire the most in Australia. He trains and works so hard to get as close as he possibly can to wringing 100% out of his ability.
Toby
Guest
Eugh. Yet more drivel from the Australian media, supporting Webber when he wins and beating him down when he doesn't. The article itself inspires confidence in the man, but so few Australians support him when he isn't at the top. If Webber went all the way and took the title, he'd be an Australian hero - but how many would have supported him when he wasn't the number one? We're a country of unsporting people. For most, if your team is losing at the football, you leave. If your cyclist isn't winning the Tour, you switch off the television. If Mark Webber is in the mid-pack, he's useless. When the form begins to change, public reaction is totally different. How can you call yourself a 'fan' if you don't stick through thick and thin? At the beginning of 2010, an Australian media outlet reported that Mark Webber was "Australia's Greatest Sporting Disappointment". Later in the year, they heralded him as the greatest driver in the world. It's Australianism. How many people watched 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after hearing about Webber's chances of taking the title and never talked about the sport after switching the television off when it looked like he wouldn't take the title? Too many.
Mat Coch
Roar Guru
Renault under the guiding hand of Flavio was not the happiest of places. It was Fernando's team, the problem was it wasn't the Spaniard's first choice. Under Eric Boullier the team has changed. It's more relaxed, less headline grabbing. Boullier has been around racing for some time - he ran the A1GP Team France squad. Romain is managed by Boullier. Grosjean has immense talent. Watch his early races in GP2 where, despite his inexperience, he was immediately competitive. I would put a dollar on Romain to win before Kimi; he seems hungrier and more inclined to extract it's potential rather than settle for something close. His drive in Silverstone was, for mine, more impressive than Webber's. He made a mistake and spent the rest of the race earning the respect of his mechanics by driving his heart out, finishing too close to Kimi for eyebrows not to be raised. The concern is the teams future. It is owned by Genii Captial, a mob of venture capitalists. The Lotus name is on license from the Lotus car company, which is currently on its knees and continually laying off staff. It has a $30million debt to the company, secured against the Formula One teams assets. That loan is the equivilent of Lotus' sponsorship, though is unusual in that the team is expected to pay it back.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Gday Matt! Who do you reckon will break through for Lotus first? Kimi or Romain? I can't begin to say how much the Frenchman has impressed me. I had written him off after his 2009 drives but he is right on it this year!
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Thanks Frank! Yeah I had forgotten about the Horse. That was pretty dumb huh! I feel a little sorry for Sonny Bill. He made a hasty and unpopular call when he was in his early twenties. I would hate to have spent my life being judged by what I did when I was in my early twenties!
Mat Coch
Roar Guru
It's still far too early to predict the outcome of this years championship. It's swung back and forth like a pendulum in a hurricane. It's been unpredictable and while the cream is steadily beginning to rise to the top there are still threats from Lotus, Mercedes and McLaren to consider. McLaren are down, but they are far from out. Lewis won in Canada and Jenson hasn't forgotten how to drive. The Ferrari is improving and Lotus look a team which could gather quite a head of steam if only if could knotch up it's first win in a few years. Does Mark have the raw qualities to win the title; yes, but so too did David Coulthard, Ronnie Petersen and Sir Stirling Moss (or as my colleague calls him, Sir God). Hard work does not entitle anyone to anything; Formula One, as life itself, is not a meritocracy.
Frank The Tank
Guest
Mark great article, I have this arguement with mates all the time, Webber is an exceptional driver and good on Red Bull and him for resigning. But I have to disagree with Michael Clarke, any chance to get in front of a camera he's there, did we need a tour of his house before the Melbourne test (I think) last year? Or did we really need to see his wedding photos with that silly photo of his wife on that ugly grey horse? Of course the NZRU are going to praise Sonny Bill and his horrible manager, they want him back, and they want to NZ people to welcome him back after his holiday on Bondi beach. Imagine if they carried on like league did when he walked out of 5 year contract and now just reopen the door to him. Cadel finished second 2 years in a row to drug cheats all on his own, now that he has an awesome team that keeps him out of trouble he's a genuine threat, although he'll still be on his Pat Malone in the Alps. He rode a great time trial but was beaten by Wiggins who rode the ride of his life, same thing happened a few years ago when he lost in the time trial when he rode rest of the race with a broken collar bone (or elbow).........we forget that. Can't stand people that bag Evans and Webber, two very gutsy atheletes that have peaked late in their careers and have got to where they are from sheer hard work. FTT
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Gday Fivehole! Agreed, he is just astonishing when he gets on pole and has a trouble free run. I used to marvel at how Senna could pull out a second on the pack in the first lap with a full tank and cold tyres. Vettel is already a second up first sector first lap! I'm with you, it will all come down to qualifying, if Seb gets pole for most of the races for the rest of the year, he will be champ. If I had to bet, I would go with Alonso, but I am so hoping this is Mark's year!
Fivehole
Guest
If i had to bet, my money would be on Alonso, but boy do i hope i'm wrong. I can also see Vettel causing some concerns. Hopefully with some good qualifying times (unlike Valencia) and an ability to make quality starts unlike some previous outings, Webber can produce the goods. Just on the start times, as the top cars seem more competitive this year, i think this is less of an issue than in the past. The only exception i see is when Vettel gets pole and no safety cars during the race - he is awfully good when out in front.