Mark Webber is back in his fancy Red Bull Racing computer game thingy. This time he’s giving us a preview of what to expect from this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. Well, apart from lots of fans for Fernando and a tough race for car and driver.
You can see the video below after the break.
Rain in Shanghai ensured qualifying form was tipped upside down at yesterday’s 2010 Chinese Grand Prix. Jenson Button furthered his reputation as a rain master by winning his second wet race of the year. Teammate Lewis Hamilton was close behind as they crossed the line. MercedesGP driver Nico Rosberg continued his dominance over Michael Schumahcer to finish on the podium for the second race in succession.
Red Bull Racing have had a driver start from pole position every race this year. Unfortunately for them it hasn’t led to a race win for the pole man. Shanghai was no different, with both Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso getting past Sebastien Vettel off the line. Although, Alonso did jump the start and was forced to pit for a stop-go penalty. It was strategy and tyre choice, though, that undid Red Bull’s qualifying supremacy. Both drivers finished well below expectations—Vettel unable to follow his Malaysian GP victory with a podium and he finished in sixth, Webber further behind in eighth.
Four races in to the 2010 Formula One season and what do we make of Michael Schumacher’s comeback? It’s not gone to script, has it. Rosberg is to be commended for leading the way for MercedesGP so far in 2010. And while Schumacher has shown moments of raw pace, he is yet to string together the consistency required to see him challenging for a podium finish. Rosberg out qualified Schumi here in China, which means, for the first time, Schumacher has been out qualified by his teammate for four races in succession.
Quotes from drivers and team principals are now available on Formula1.com. You can also enjoy a total of 50 images from the Chinese GP here on AUSmotive, check them out below.
Here is the latest installment in the Red Bull Racing Grand Prix previews for the 2010 season. This time Webber is driving the Shanghai circuit in the Red Bull simulator. At the Chinese Grand Prix Mark thinks of millions of people, a nightmare drive to the the track and a fantastic circuit.
At last year’s Chinese GP Red Bull Racing achieved its first pole position, first race win and first one-two race result. Here’s hoping the team can repeat those efforts, with Webber out in front, of course.
Check the full video of Mark’s Shanghai preview after the break.
After an unfulfilled Australian Grand Prix local hope Mark Webber felt he had something to prove in Malaysia. Webber dared to dream by making what proved to be an inspired tyre choice during a rain sodden qualifying that allowed the Australian to claim pole position. Could he win his third Formula One race?
No, sadly. An overly cautious start by Webber left the door open for a fast charging Sebastien Vettel to take the inside line into turn 1 and that was pretty much that. Webber’s cause wasn’t helped by a clumsy pit stop from his Red Bull team and the young remained unchallenged on the way to his German his sixth race win. Webber strolled home in a comfortable second place and, finally, Red Bull Racing delivered a result befitting their early season pace. In a minor consolation for Webber he set the fastet lap of the race on lap 53.
Nico Rosberg, who started from P2 on the grid, finished the race in third place, and in doing so earned the first podium finish for the newly formed Mercedes GP team. A nice collect for the bookies, there no doubt, with the early season money surely resting on Schumacher.
Following a dreadful qualifying for McLaren and Ferrari leaving all four drivers starting from P17 or behind, they were able to restore some pride, with Lewis Hamilton the pick crossing the line in sixth place. Hamilton was followed by current championship leader Felipe Massa and his McLaren teammate Jenson Button. Fernando Alonso finished outside of the top 10 and failed to add to his 2010 season tally. A full list of results is available at Formula1.com.
After the jump you will see more than 85 images from Sepang, all (except a couple of the Lotus pics) accessible in 2000px wallpaper-friendly sizing by clicking on the photo you want.
It’s safe to say that the final result in the 2010 Australian Grand Prix is not on the majority of Australian F1 fans were hoping for. Local boy Mark Webber had his best chance yet to win his home race. He qualified on the front row, alongside pole sitter and teammate Sebastien Vettel.
However, through a combination of poor tyre strategy and some over exuberance on his own part, Webber’s race ended in tears after a coming together with Lewis Hamilton with two laps to go while fighting for minor placings. Finally, Webber regathered himself to stumble home in ninth place.
Just as in Bahrain, Vettel looked like he was just out for a lazy Sunday drive. He held a comfortable lead until his front left brake rotor exploded and sent him crashing out.
This left Button in the lead after he put his fortunes in the hands of an early switch to slick tyres on lap six. A move that eventually took the reigning champ from zero to hero. From then on it was a case of managing tyres and through a combination of cooler weather and a smooth driving style Button was able to complete the race on the softer compound tyres.
So, then, it has taken Button just two races to get the better of Hamilton. And do you think the 2008 World Champion was happy about that fact? Not on your life. It had Hamilton blowing smoke of a different kind with stern questions asked of his team and the tyre strategy his team employed. Apparently he deserved better.
Well, that’s enough commentary, let’s look at some pics. After the jump you can feast your eyes on over 50 of the best images from the Australian Grand Prix weekend. Teams featured include Red Bull Racing, Renault, Ferrari, MercedesGP, Williams, Lotus and Virgin Racing. See a pic you like, then simply click on it to load a 2000px super image.
Next weekend it all starts again, with the Malaysian Grand Prix from Sepang. Can Red Bull Racing finally find some luck and land a win that their current early season pace would indicate they deserve?
Earlier today Queanbeyan City Council honoured Australian Formula One driver, and local lad made good, Mark Webber with a civic reception. I made the short journey across the border to join in the fun.
Proceedings begun with a parade down Queanbeyan’s main street, where hundreds of people, including lots of school kids, were able to cheer Webber on and offer best wishes for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
Once the parade was over Webber was greeted by Queanbeyan Mayor, Cr Tim Overall, before he became a pied piper of sorts on his way into the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. It was a short walk but with every step Webber happily signed autographs for F1 fans of all ages.
The usual speeches were presented including a great precis of Webber’s career from an old family friend. You could see from the smile on Mark’s face that he enjoyed the snapshot offered, and that the effort made was very much appreciated.
Webber then took the stand, accepted a plaque from Cr Overall and spoke of his fond memories from growing up in Queanbeyan. He also made special mention for two other local boys done good, namely David Campese and David Furner.
During Webber’s F3 days he was facing a financial crossroad and he needed money for his motorsport career to survive. Former Wallaby David Campese came to the fore providing $100,000 which allowed Mark to carry on. Webber quipped that he has since paid back the loan and acknowledged his gratitude to Campese who took a huge risk to support what was then a fledgling career.
David Furner, NRL premiership player and current Canberra Raiders coach, also earned praise from Webber who recalled his days growing up when he would walk his dog and see Furner out practicing alone. Mark commented that when he first arrived in Europe he thought he was doing pretty well, but he soon realised all the other young hopefuls from countries far and wide wanted to achieve the same thing he did, a Formula One career. He remembered Furner’s discipline and willingness to train that little bit harder and soon followed a similar methodology. Mark mentioned he likes training on Christmas Day and News Year’s Day as he reckons this gives him two extra days on his competitors.
Webber spoke well and his enthusiasm for friends, family and all in attendance was clear to see. He appears to have a humility that many of his peers would do well to imitate. He also has the support of Australian F1 fans and I’m sure all wish him great success, including a strong result this weekend.
More pics and a few sound bites from Webber’s speech can be seen after the jump.
The machine Red Bull Racing hopes will deliver 2010 success has just been revealed at Jerez. The RB6 is very much an evolution of last year’s car, and at first glance, it looks pretty much the same. The most noticeable changes, though, are to the car’s front wings and nose, as well as revised side pods. And that dramatic engine cover, of course.
Red Bull skipped last week’s test session at Valencia to give them more time to develop the car. This approach seems to have been confirmed by Christian Horner today who was quoted by Autosport F1 Editor, Edd Straw, as saying, “Like all teams we have quite an aggressive development program. We have components we will introduce in the next couple of tests.”
Adrian Newey explained further, “We have been able to design the rear suspension and gearbox with the double diffuser in mind.”
Meanwhile Mark Webber is keen as mustard to get the RB6 out on the track, “The car looks great. I’m really looking forward to what it can do.”
Webber also says missing testing last week was not a big issue, “Valencia is not the best track in the world for characteristics. We’d have liked to be there but I don’t think we lost too much.”
Thanks again to Edd Straw’s tiwtter feed for the trackside quotes. For live commentary from Jerez check out Autosport.com – lap times are already being posted, as inclement weather closes in.
Lots more pics from the Red Bull Racing launch after the break. Some high resolution studio shots of the preview pics posted earlier today are available. Click on any of the pics to load wallpaper-friendly sizing.
Twenty-year-old Australian and current British Formula 3 champ, Daniel Ricciardo, has been signed for Formula One reserve driver duties with both Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. Joining Daniel, in what will be a shared role, is 20-year-old New Zealand driver Brendon Hartley.
Both men took part in the F1 end of season testing at Jerez in December 2009. Ricciardo made a name for himself by topping the time sheets driving the Red Bull RB5, while Hartley also impressed at the wheel of the Torro Rosso TR4.
Even though in-season testing for Formula One has been drastically reduced in recent years Ricciardo and Hartley will get a great opportunity at learning the ropes through marketing roles and participation in team meetings.
It’s a great step for both guys who are also members of the Red Bull Junior Team. The shared role will see the drivers alternate their appearances on a race-by-race basis.
[Source: MarkWebber.com]
Amazing results from the Brazilian Grand Prix this morning have seen Mark Webber claim his second victory in Formula One and Jenson Button clinch the driver’s and constructor’s championships for Brawn GP.
The race had a dramatic opening sequence which included three cars crashing out, Kimi Raikkonnen lose his nose cone, drivers fighting on the side of the track, a safety car and a fire in pit lane. Unusually, for Formula One’s unluckiest man, Mark Webber’s start from the front row of the grid ensured he missed all the dramas. He then combined with his Red Bull Racing team to get past race leader, and pole sitter, Rubens Barrichello after the first round of pit stops.
From there Webber completed the race mostly unchallenged and he claimed the chequered flag more than seven seconds ahead of BMW’s Robert Kubica. Of course, this is Webber’s second career win after he won his first Formula One race at Germany in July this year.
Webber’s victory caps a triumphant weekend of motorsport for Australian competitors with Casey Stoner winning his third Australian MotoGP and Jason Crump winning the World Speedway Championship.
Full race reports from the Brazilian Grand Prix can be read at Formula1.com and BBC Sport. Selected driver quotes are available HERE and a picture gallery showcasing Webber’s victory will be posted later today.
UPDATE: Pics from Webber’s victory are now available.
Media outlets across Australia have been reporting on Mark Webber’s maiden Grand Prix win all morning. The in car audio from Mark after the race, which captured his raw emotion, is still being played, “Yes, yes, yeehah. You f@#king beauty!”
His celebrations were typically Australian, he wore his heart on his sleeve and just as in the race, he left nothing behind. Speaking on ABC radio overnight, Will Hagon described Webber’s release of emotion as being the culmination of not one race, or one result, but his entire motorsport career.
As a young boy starting his racing career at the Fairbairn Park karting track in Canberra, Webber would have been dreaming of this day. Now he has reached the summit. Mark Webber, from the small New South Wales city of Queanbeyan, is a Grand Prix winner!
Even better than that, his Red Bull Racing team are providing he and Sebastian Vettel with a potential championship winning car. They have clearly been the form team of the last few races and last night’s results saw both Vettel and Webber close the gap to championship leader Jenson Button.
Button heads the championship table with 68 points, Vettel is second on 47 points. Webber’s win sees him leap frog Rubens Barichello into third place in the driver’s championship on 45.5 points, with the Brazilian in fourth on 44 points. Felipe Massa is fifth in the driver standings, back on just 22 points.
After Brawn GP’s early season jump start on the competition, Red Bull Racing are also narrowing the gap in the constructor’s title which now stands, Brawn GP 112 points, Red Bull Racing 92.5 points and Toyota, third, on 34.5 points.
Mark Webber is just the third Australian driver to win a Formula One race, following in the footsteps of Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham. Amazingly, Webber’s maiden victory came in his 130th race start—Alan Jones had 116 race starts in his entire career, Brabham had 126. Let’s hope Webber can continue the legacy of Australians who have won a Grand Prix race have also gone on to win a World Championship.
Full driver quotes from the post-race press conference are available from Formula1.com. Red Bull Racing’s media release, along with a vast gallery of images from the race are available after the jump.
Mark Webber has driven a magnificent race to claim his first ever Grand Prix victory. It was the first win by an Australian driver since Alan Jones won the 1981 US Grand Prix.
Webber started aggressively from pole position at the Nürburgring track, but couldn’t hold off a fast charging Rubens Barichello who led into the first corner. Lewis Hamilton, too, made a great start and headed Webber into the first corner but the Briton then ran wide and suffered a puncture, effectively ending his race.
The Australian was handed a drive through penalty for initiating contact with Barichello in the lead up to the first corner. Opinions in race commentary were divided as to whether the penalty was justified. Fortunately, it mattered not, as Webber’s outright pace and two stop strategy was superior to the Brawn GP three stop plan.
Webber has often had promising results ruined by bad luck. Today, though, the F1 gods were shining on the Aussie. After Barichello’s first pit stop he got caught behind Felipe Massa. The precious seconds lost by Rubens here allowed Webber to close the time surrendered to the Brawn machine following his drive through penalty.
Once that hurdle was overcome Webber looked in the best position to win the race. His grip on the race win tightened further when Barichello had a re-fuelling mishap at his second stop which cost valuable seconds.
Red Bull Racing got Webber back out quickly, and safely, after his second stop and from that point on the Australian enjoyed a clear run to the line, winning the 2009 German Grand Prix.
Webber’s Red Bull Racing teammate Sebastien Vettel finished the race in second, ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa.
UPDATE 13 July: Check out AUSmotive’s image gallery of Mark’s win HERE.