Where Will Webber Go In 2014?

[Emmcee 0]

First of all g'day to everyone first time poster here, iam asking this particular question not only as a fan but I've heard numerous rumours on his whereabouts for 2014. I've heard he is replacing grosjean,then heard a straight swap for kimi, then the usual Ferrari rumour and latest that he is teaming up with button at Mclaren. I hope the Porsche rumors are false. Where do you think he will end up? Retirement or still with rbr?

[Angellica 0]

To be fair no announcement has been made yet so all of us can only guess on this and give opinions can't we? I don't think he'll stay at Red Bull personally, I tend to think he could leave F1 altogether but I could be wrong. As for him going to McLaren, I thought Perez had a two year contract (I could be wrong of course) but if I'm right there's no space there. Lotus could be a good move for him though if he is staying in F1.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I reckon he'll be gone from f1, which is a shame. He hasn't publically said he wants to stay at RBR next year and I'd be a little surprised if he carried on making up the numbers in another team. Having said that, Lotus would do well to get him in if he was up for it!

[Emmcee 0]

I know the Redbull is the best car ATM but do you think he has the patience to be sebs piggybacker for another year. I mean Malaysia IMO was a dog act, guaranteed 1-2 and he was lucky his move stuck other wise turkey 2010 all over again, stupid boy. I've seen alot of support for seb lost over this.

[Angellica 0]

For my answer to the Malaysia thing, please refer to the 'Vettel Haters' thread where we've just been dicussing the exact same event

[radical-one 0]

Not sure where but I'm pretty sure not in F1 2014 line up.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him in NASCAR series competing with Montoya. They get paid decently there.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I think Aussie V8's more likely than Nascar

[Emmcee 0]

Not sure where but I'm pretty sure not in F1 2014 line up.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him in NASCAR series competing with Montoya. They get paid decently there.

You think NASCAR? I couldn't see him doing that, I'd like to think he would come back home and race v8 supercars before that, wouldn't mind seeing how he would do in the Indy series, but I hope he stays just not with rb, I'd love to see him with kimi at lotus.

[Massa 0]

Vettel's the Red Bull driver who has been to NASCAR races and gone to NASCAR-related historical museums in the U.S. Couldn't see Webber there.

I also can't buy the McLaren rumors. Both Webber and Button are near retirement. They can't race forever and careers are most often short at the top level. Priority needs to be given to making sure Pérez and Kevin Magnussen have the resources to become the drivers they can be.

If Webber wants to be in F1 in 2014, though, there should be a seat for him somewhere. There is no risk involved in signing with him, and he's obviously a very good driver. He can't beat Vettel regularly over a season, but he can beat Vettel in individual races, and that alone is super impressive. Webber's the one in control here, I think.

[Jean-Pierre 0]

May be sauber or Williams to help develop the car if their miserable season continues.

[Rainmaster 7]

I'd be surprised if he joined another team so I suspect he will either stay with RBR or leave the sport and do something else like a touring car or sportscar series.

I think the time for him to go to Ferrari has passed and he would have done it by now if he was going to do it. Mclaren is all locked up and I really can't see why he'd want to go there. Lotus might be a better fit but again, I don't see much of an incentive for him.

[JHS18 0]

Porsche and the WEC.

If it isn't already a done deal (which it probably is) then it is very close to being finalised.

Got to laugh at the suggestions that he'll move to Lotus, seeing as the "Webber to Renault" talk was an annual event since about 2005.

Given the recent comments Webber has made regarding the state of Formula One, he sounds to me like a man who has become disillusioned with it and is out of there at the end of the year.

[andy2286 0]

I know the Redbull is the best car ATM but do you think he has the patience to be sebs piggybacker for another year. I mean Malaysia IMO was a dog act, guaranteed 1-2 and he was lucky his move stuck other wise turkey 2010 all over again, stupid boy. I've seen alot of support for seb lost over this.

I thought Vettel's move was brilliant, and I personally cannot see why Vettel has lost a lot of repesct for it. If you think back to Silverstone 2011 where Webber was told to hold position and not overtake, he disobeyed team orders and went for the overtake. The only difference is that where as Webber tried and failed, Vettel tried and succeeded.

[Emmcee 0]

I thought Vettel's move was brilliant, and I personally cannot see why Vettel has lost a lot of repesct for it. If you think back to Silverstone 2011 where Webber was told to hold position and not overtake, he disobeyed team orders and went for the overtake. The only difference is that where as Webber tried and failed, Vettel tried and succeeded.

See the difference there IMO is seb drives with his man pole instead of his brain. Iam not saying his good,his bloody brilliant,but I think most of that boils down to luck, I mean look how lucky he has been so far this year,his luck has been rediculous to the point it looks like its pre-written before the race. Seb is an all or nothing racer,he will go for the win every single time,instead of playing cool and getting the most points he can without risk,you can see it,why go for the fastest lap on the last lap for? That's just stupid,one day he will put it in the wall doing that,it's going to happen,he neally did it in Canada. Mark will use his head a bit more,but IMO that has rubbed of onto his consistency to get in the top 3 like he used to. British gp 2011 if it was seb going for the overtake?he would've done the same thing,even if he takes mark out,mark won't do that. As for mark disobeying team orders first,no way, seb started this by refusing to help mark win in 2010. Simple as this Turkey 2010 sebs ego,sebs fault. Malaysia made me laugh when he got on the radio and said mark was to slow, at that point the gap was increasing between them. IMO if Redbull helped webber in 2010 they way they helped seb,he would have won. Redbull would have been a laugjing stock if seb didnt pull it of. Sebs issue is he thinks its him and webber fighting for the title every time and no one else,if webber beat Vettel of the line I would guarantee he would let alonso and Hamilton past just to fend of webber. At the end of the day there driving two different version of the same car,there is no way marks car is the same as sebs,this Pirelli tyre fiasco is the perfect excuse used to develop a seb car more for seb, just look at the gap from 2009 til now it just keeps getting bigger,you have to wait for circuits now webber is generally good at to see him fight seb,instead of being up there with him at every gp. This is just my opinion.

[andy2286 0]

I will agree with you that Seb's constantly wanting the fast lap is a very risky behaviour and will one day cost him dearly. As you mentioned upon, Mark drives more with his head while Seb with his heart, but thats one of the thing's I like about him.

However, you've got to admit that if you were red bull, which driver would you back? The one who (no pun intended) is getting on a bit in years and while being a solid driver, is not what you would call world championship material.

Or would you back Seb, a young hot shot who is a proven race winner and clearly a class above his team mate.

And I do not believe that Mark's car is any different from Seb's, and maybe the reason the gap is getting bigger is because Seb is getting visibly better and growing in confidence and not due to some conspiracy theory.

Don't think I'm hating on Mark, I think he's a solid driver who on his day can be a challenge to anyone on the grid, but I do not believe he's in the same league as Seb, neither do I think Seb has actually been really lucky this year, though I'll admit he hasn't exactly been unlucky.

[Emmcee 0]

I will agree with you that Seb's constantly wanting the fast lap is a very risky behaviour and will one day cost him dearly. As you mentioned upon, Mark drives more with his head while Seb with his heart, but thats one of the thing's I like about him.

However, you've got to admit that if you were red bull, which driver would you back? The one who (no pun intended) is getting on a bit in years and while being a solid driver, is not what you would call world championship material.

Or would you back Seb, a young hot shot who is a proven race winner and clearly a class above his team mate.

And I do not believe that Mark's car is any different from Seb's, and maybe the reason the gap is getting bigger is because Seb is getting visibly better and growing in confidence and not due to some conspiracy theory.

Don't think I'm hating on Mark, I think he's a solid driver who on his day can be a challenge to anyone on the grid, but I do not believe he's in the same league as Seb, neither do I think Seb has actually been really lucky this year, though I'll admit he hasn't exactly been unlucky.

Well said, I agree with most of what you said, yeah of course you would pick seb over mark due to his results,but how much success does he owe to that car over his own abilities? Could he be as successful in another front running car? Who knows. But I think mark could be a title contender IF the car and support was the same for him, and it hasn't been since 2010 when he WAS fighting for the title. How can you not say sebs luck is the key to him leading the standings? All the main rivals of his have suffered some sort of technical issue,retirement or penalties, while seb hasn't?

[andy2286 0]

2010 was Mark's last real chance to win the championship and I can't see him getting that close again... But I could be wrong.

It's the same with all drivers and trying to figure out how good they really are or if it's just the car, however we can only really judge a driver when comparing him to his team mate... I don't think Webber has ever beaten him on points while being team mates.

While he certainly has had a good car, he has on more then enough occasions proven himself to be a very good driver... He's the youngest points scorer in f1, Monza 2008 he drove the pant's off of the Toro Rosso by starting on pole and finishing first. And really showed supreme skill and determination in both Abu Dhabi and Brazil last year.

I regard luck as everything going your way, and while that hasn't been the case he certainly hasn't had any bad luck when it really matters (during quali or the race).

If we're referring to Alonso in Malaysia, bare in mind that yes the drs flap not closing wasn't lucky but he certainly shouldn't have tried it again, and the front wing... that was all his fault.

[Emmcee 0]

2010 was Mark's last real chance to win the championship and I can't see him getting that close again... But I could be wrong.

It's the same with all drivers and trying to figure out how good they really are or if it's just the car, however we can only really judge a driver when comparing him to his team mate... I don't think Webber has ever beaten him on points while being team mates.

While he certainly has had a good car, he has on more then enough occasions proven himself to be a very good driver... He's the youngest points scorer in f1, Monza 2008 he drove the pant's off of the Toro Rosso by starting on pole and finishing first. And really showed supreme skill and determination in both Abu Dhabi and Brazil last year.

I regard luck as everything going your way, and while that hasn't been the case he certainly hasn't had any bad luck when it really matters (during quali or the race).

If we're referring to Alonso in Malaysia, bare in mind that yes the drs flap not closing wasn't lucky but he certainly shouldn't have tried it again, and the front wing... that was all his fault.

Yeah again I agree,but if 2008 Italian Grand Prix wasn't wet,he wouldn't have qualified on pole let alone win the race,I can guarantee you that. With alonso,yeah I was thinking the same thing when he opened it again and to go an extra lap with the busted wing,what was he thinking? I do think though if webber didn't have any issues this year,he would definatly be closer to seb in the standings. I hope alonso gets it this year. IMO he is the fastest in formula one ATM followed by Hamilton and then Vettel. I put Vettel third as it kind of hard to justify his real pace,compared to alonso and Hamilton who have been competitive in different cars. I think him resigning with Redbull is because he wants to go to Ferrari,but won't if alonso's there. That's just my opinion.

[radical-one 0]

You think NASCAR? I couldn't see him doing that, I'd like to think he would come back home and race v8 supercars before that, wouldn't mind seeing how he would do in the Indy series, but I hope he stays just not with rb, I'd love to see him with kimi at lotus.

Why not? He should be happy if he gets a drive in NASCAR. It's a very difficult and demanding series.

Anyways, I think his career as a whole is done. He had his chance in 2010 but he blew it. All due respect, I like him as a driver but I never ever thought he would become a champion. He doesn't have that strong mentality to fight for it over a whole season. He seemed to be happy winning here and there and showing up at the podium when his car runs right.

Good luck to Mark

[Emmcee 0]

I didn't count NASCAR out I just think he would return home before doing that, I really hope he keeps going,but your right,he seems to crack at the worst possible moments like Korea 2010 that did his title chances right there and then. Though I think with a bit more help from the team he might have had enough points in the pocket to take that retirement but it is what it is. It's just going to get worse if he stays at rb, we'll just have to wait and see.

[radical-one 0]

I didn't count NASCAR out I just think he would return home before doing that, I really hope he keeps going,but your right,he seems to crack at the worst possible moments like Korea 2010 that did his title chances right there and then. Though I think with a bit more help from the team he might have had enough points in the pocket to take that retirement but it is what it is. It's just going to get worse if he stays at rb, we'll just have to wait and see.

IMHO though, if he manages to stay in F1, I believe his best team (that matches his driving and personality) would be Williams.

Not a cut-throat team but very experienced. I believe they can make good use of Mark's skills and experience in setting up their car and getting them to a higher level that in-turn hand it to a younger driver later.

[Emmcee 0]

I don't think he would go back to Williams,he won't settle for a team now unless he can win,though I've heard a rumour Redbull are in talks with him so he might stay where he is again.

[Insider 0]

I believe Webber will stay at RBR. Lotus may go out of F1 altogether - it's a money thing. Mercedes could follow if Bernie stays. There could be six drivers looking for two seats. Button will stay where he is. He is a massively loyal individual and Honda will want him around for a while. He is a God in Japan. Depending on who is on the market, Perez could get shipped out. He is quick but a car-breaker and it's part of his DNA. Sauber need Massa and Williams need Hulkenberg back but he may join McLaren [where he should be now!]. Kamui will be Alonso's new team mate.

[radical-one 0]

I don't think he would go back to Williams,he won't settle for a team now unless he can win,though I've heard a rumour Redbull are in talks with him so he might stay where he is again.

That will be good if he can manage to stay with RB. Good luck to him.

However, Webber says that he won't settle for a team unless he can win but that's exactly where he's been over many years right ?

Where's his title ? Which other team can give him wins let alone title ?

Mark should be more realistic. Again, I like him but c'mon...

[Emmcee 0]

No your right and that's the most frustrating thing about being a webber fan is hearing he will do this and that but always falls short,I mean he tries but for some reason just falls away side, he is a halfway there driver, but never the less I love him as he speaks his mind and if course because he is a fellow Aussie, ricciardo has been pretty impressive this year too.