Webber hypothetical (No, not about driving for Ferrari)

Suppose Mark Webber winds up winning the Driver's Championship. I know it's early, and he may not. But this is MY hypothetical. So based on the general sentiment towards him, how do you think he will be perceived? If he had done this 4 or 5 years ago with Williams I would have been excited about it. I liked him early in his career and envisioned him as a future title contender. But I have a difficult time getting back behind him now. I haven't stopped trying, and I don't subscribe to the 'unworthy champion' mindset. But what are some of your thoughts?

 

It's an interesting question..... He kind of burst onto the scene by giving Minardi their first ever points (IIRC), and the tifosi immediately said "hire him, he's the next coming!"

Between then and now I think he's generally bettered his teammate, which has gotta be objective #1, but never it seems had a winning "package".

He's always appeared as "competent", if a little hot headed on occasion. He's not the "never was" that some herein claim IMO.

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He does seem to have given the newly anointed second coming something of a schooling over the past couple of races however - The first time young SV's been rattled by a teammate into looking a little "young".

As you said, there's a long way to go, but I can see him as a WDC. Incidentally, it appears to me that he's more "loved" by the team than SV - They just seem happier when he puts it on pole than the other way round (?)

Cheers,
Ian

 

Same as Button...

A slightly above average driver who happened to be sitting in the correct seat when the music stopped...

Last year the best car won... not the best driver.
If Webber wins this year, it's because he's driving an Newey Design.

That said... his stock definitely increases just by beating Vettel...

 

That's the interesting part to me as well. If Vettel kept experiencing failures, well different story. But Webber has definitely grabbed the upper hand.

 

If Webber isn't worthy of the WDC should he win, then neither was Raiikonen when he won his with Ferrari.

 

Pretty much everyone here considers Vettel a top driver. If Webber out qualifies and out races him using the same equipment what does that make Webber?

 

More experienced

 

... and simply faster.

I will wait and see, but Mark does appear to be more settled in his head. Maybe being able to win has proven to himself that he is really up to it especially now that he has had a couple of completely dominating wins.

He's always worked hard and well within a team, and definitely a better car developer than Kimi.
Pete

 

confidence at the elite level is everything

 

I like what we see of the Red Bull team - I like the relationship the 2 drivers have (they seem like buddies and seem to respect each other) and the way they work with their team. They seem to compete and yet share a lot at the same time. Witness Vettel helping Webber out of the Monaco harbour!

I like the way Webber talked about Vettel when Vettel was outqualifying him by mere hundredths of a second in the very last moments of Q3 in the first few races of the season. He was philosophical and full of praise, saying things along the lines of he thought he (Webber himself) had wrung every last ounce of performance in his quali lap and that Seb had really pulled one out of the bag to take pole.

Vettel is certainly a young star - witness his inspired win for Torro Rosso in the rain a couple of years ago (which gave us Ferrari/ Schumacher supporters very nostalgic renderings of the German and Italian national anthems in sequence again). And he certainly can be inspiring to watch when he is on the ragged edge in qualifying. Yet now, at the moment, without being quite on that very ragged edge, Webber is right up there too - in fact, now quicker - somehow finding speed and also smoothness - witness Monaco qualifying and these his ability to pull away again and again after the start and all the safety cars.

Of course, it can all turn around in a blink in F1, but I think Webber is currently reaping the rewards of experience, maturity and the evolution of the Red Bull cars, into which his experience in car development should not be underestimated.

So, if he continues to do well, Webber will be a thoroughly deserving champion!

 

No further comment needed!

 

Nothing has changed.
I can't think of a WDC who carried a dud car to the Championship.
OTOH, there have been "great" drivers who have never won a Championship.

 

Its the car not the driver.
Especially in the no test era.
ALL the drivers on the current grid are WDC caliber contenders. There are a couple of rookies and bought rides that are questionable, but for the most part 70 % or more are capable.
And if / when you score that hot seat its your team-mate that is the competition.

IMO driving at this level is a mental feat. When you are in the groove and confident great things happen.
Just look at ANY drivers performance during contract negotiations.
Some of the young ones like Hami and Vettle are great of of the box because there are no expectations and they haven't realized, just like the BumbleBee, that its not supposed to fly so it does it anyhow.

The greats like MS, Alonso, Hami stay motivated.
It will be interesting to see Webers attitude when he comes off his high and Vettle rediscovers his.

 

IMHO who ever gets the drivers championship is a worthy winner. F1 is about the best driver/car combo. Sometimes it's the car that provides the edge (i.e. D. Hill) others it's the driver (i.e. Senna).

I like Webber for his no non-sense approach. He's probably not the most talented but he's worked hard to get to where he is.

 

Agreed.

And agreed.

I'm still somewhat stunned by the spanking that Webber gave to Vettel. Vettel to me is a God, so the question is justified, what makes that Webber? At least very good in this season.

To me it looks like the WDC is going to be fought between the RB drivers. I don't think the McLaren or the Ferrari can catch up. I'm hoping for Alonso, but I wouldn't bet any money on him winning the WDC.

If it comes down to Webber vs Vettel, I wouldn't actually mind if Webber wins it: Being the older driver, this might be his crowning moment and only chance. Vettel will become a multiple WDC, I have no doubts there, but it doesn't have to be this year.

May the best man win.

 

I don't see how ferrari / alonso can finish the season without running into multiple engine change penalties... even if alonso races to perfection, engines and grid spot penalties will prevent him being WDC in 2010...

Alonso's year is already over...

 

I'm still not convinced about Webber. He is on a hot streak right now but Vettel was destroying him earlier in the season, prompting many on here to call for Kimi to replace him. F1 is a fickle thing, so let's see where people stand at, say, the halfway point of the season.

 

Lets remember that Vettel is only a few retirements away from a commanding lead.

However, lets assume Webber can maintain pace to beat Vettel - I believe it's better than Jenson's win. Jenson beat Barrichello - who has never been close to a championship.

 

If he wins, in my book he goes down as the guy who drove the hell out of the best car on the grid while beating the team's #1 driver. To me, that's a pretty worthy champion (he's beating Vettel on the grid, not through retirements.

A lot can happen between now and the end of the season.

 

Red Bull officially stated that the reason for Vettel being so slow in Monaco was a defect in his chassis.

Webber still did a hell of a drive and made no mistakes, but this does put things a bit into perspective.

 

They are just trying to motivate the guy. And also what about Spain where he got handed to it as well.

Webber has always been fast, just not the best racer, maybe now its all coming together. There really was not much difference in times before Webber stopped throwing his race away anyway.

Pete

 

there is NO perspective !!

Vettel had his arse served up to him, same car same track, flogged him

now we'll see what Vettel is made of whether he can match Webber or go to pieces under pressure like some other precious little soul in a McLaren

Personally I think Vettel can be just as fast but is prone to overdriving the car like Hamilturd

Chassis hahahahahahahaha next it'll be the fuel, then the air, then the stars aren't lined up

FFS which page in the racing driver's excuse book are we up to ????

 

I hear you and agree that Vettel got a first class schooling by Webber. However if there was a problem with the chassis, then it would explain some things. Could be an excuse or not. I guess we'll see in Turkey.

 

Yep.

Pete

 

Some comming within 1/2 point of doing so.