Mark Webber, a gentleman, an excellent driver and sportsman
The Brazilian GP, to be held on Sunday, is an event rich in symbols and history for the Minardi Team. As the Brazilian GP was the F.1 event where the Italian team made his debut in 1985, so it will be the last event Mark Webber will take part in at the wheel of a F.1 car. The Australian driver made his debut in F.1 in 2002 alongside the Minardi Team. The Australian finished 5th in his debut race in Australia; his 5th place excited the Faenza-based squad’s fans.
“I’ve lived so many Brazilian GP throughout my career in F.1, but the Brazilian racing week ends were so different if compared with today, both because the circuit they took place in, was based in Rio and because they were held at the beginning of the F.1 season, so temperatures were higher than they are now. At that moment, free practice took place one week before the racing week end, so the staff had the opportunity to go to the seaside and relax. Whilst Sao Paulo is mainly an industrial city, Rio is an entertainment city”, says Gian Carlo Minardi.
“The Brazilian GP will mark the end of the 8-cylindres-aspired engine to be replaced with the turbo engine and it will also be the last race Mark Webber will contest as a F.1 driver. The Australian driver will leave a good memory of himself, both as a person and as a driver and sportsman. Among the 37 drivers who began their career into F.1 alongside the Minardi Team, Mark was the one who left his mark the most, not only because he scored two points in his debut race in Australia, but also because he established a very good relationship with the whole team. Still now, whenever I get into paddocks during a F.1 event, he runs to say hello to me”, remembers with pleasure the manager from Faenza.
“He leaves F.1 at the age of 37, still aware to be at the top of his career. He will fight to win even on Sunday, even if he will have to race side by side with Vettel, who is determined not to give anything to anybody. Besides the team “stole” him a season, he had also several technical issues and had to abandon the race many times. During a GP , he lost the tires after a pit-stop; a driver cannot do anything when these things happen”. Webber will join the LMP1 Porsche project “ I’m sure he will be talked about in the future. The Championship he will take part in is very interesting and it’s becoming attractive for many important constructors.”
