Where Will Webber Go In 2014?

[The Shadow 0]

Porsche. Done deal

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/455695/Webber_to_leave_F1_at_end_of_season/

[KoolMonkey 0]

So Porsche it is then. Good luck to him in that endeavor. Hopefully he will won't be a loose cannon for the rest of the year. I think he's going out a few years too early, but then again I have said many times I don't see that fire and passion in him, and it really does seem like he's on a bummer alot of the time. So Le Mans and other Porsche stuff for him.

[Emmcee 0]

Ohh well,could kind of see it coming as staying where he is, is a bit pointless and next year would just yield similar results and he would just be a year older, so good luck to him and all the best.

[Quiet One 15]

Wooohoo! Let's waste no time and start the silly season right now!

Alex Yoong to RBR? Discuss.

[JHS18 0]

Hate to say I told you so...

[Emmcee 0]

@quiteone

Lmao,more like taki inoue making a return to drive for rbr.

[rwgordon 0]

Ohh well,could kind of see it coming as staying where he is, is a bit pointless and next year would just yield similar results and he would just be a year older, so good luck to him and all the best.

Here's hoping he can repeat last year's result this weekend!

[Emmcee 0]

Yep I drink to that

[The Shadow 0]

Don't forget that Porsche is just about to launch their LMP 1 campaign, and to be there, as a lead driver, at the start of the new Porsche era of Le Mans has as much allure as driving for Ferrari in F1. Plus, if successful he would have scratched the itch that began in 1998 when he raced for Mercedes in Le Mans. While staying in F1 would just mean preparing for a new F1 era and being a number 2. I doubt he'd view that as preferable to trying something altogether different

[Angellica 0]

Wooohoo! Let's waste no time and start the silly season right now!

Alex Yoong to RBR? Discuss.

That's somewhat optimistic but we're all allowed to dream I guess

Schumacher will return to the sport and get the drive, no, not Michael, much worse than that......Ralf!!!!

[Quiet One 15]

That's somewhat optimistic but we're all allowed to dream I guess

Schumacher will return to the sport and get the drive, no, not Michael, much worse than that......Ralf!!!!

But Ralf is still in F1! Oh no, wait, that's Maldonado.

[JHS18 0]

Don't forget that Porsche is just about to launch their LMP 1 campaign, and to be there, as a lead driver, at the start of the new Porsche era of Le Mans has as much allure as driving for Ferrari in F1. Plus, if successful he would have scratched the itch that began in 1998 when he raced for Mercedes in Le Mans. While staying in F1 would just mean preparing for a new F1 era and being a number 2. I doubt he'd view that as preferable to trying something altogether different

It is very interesting that he says staying in F1 was never a consideration. But as I've said before, given the comments he has made about F1 recently, the writing was always on the wall.

[The Shadow 0]

For someone famed for saying it straight, he sure does come across as not being completely honest about things at times

Personal perception that, I know. Though 2013 has been a season of mild demystification for drivers. First Kimi and now Mark.

[Jean-Pierre 0]

I understand Webber. He could not stay with a bunch of Judas and he did not want to go in an uncompetitive team.

Welcome Kimi.

[Emmcee 0]

This is exciting now, iam gutted and sad mark is leaving as an Aussie I support him dearly, but it's ricciardos time now as head Aussie and the prospect of kimi and maybe someone to knocks seb down a few pegs is mouthwatering.

[Rainmaster 7]

I get the sense he handled this very well, but I can't help feel the decision does relate a lot to what happened in Malaysia. I know he doesn't like the current regulations and style of racing (which played its own part in Malaysia, too, don't forget), but I think it cut deep. I said at the time that Vettel hadn't done anything particularly morally contemptible, but he had done something stupid that might have some unforeseeable consequences later down the line (I was thinking of Webber ruining one of his races or title hopes). Now it seems, that perhaps Vettel's move could lead to a chain of events where he ends up getting a much stronger team mate in the future, i.e. Kimi Raikkonen. I hope it happens.

They're good friends and clearly respect each other, neither of which seems to be true in Vettel/Webber's partnership. For Red Bull, the benefits are obvious. Kimi fits their brand perfectly and it would likely be a formidable pairing performance wise.

[Emmcee 0]

Just watched and interview with Vettel. He is already whinging that mark has left and a new teammate is coming and I think he knows its kimi and he is a bit scared. "I have the utmost respect for mark as a driver and its always difficult for the team to start with a new driver, it's much easier who you know your racing against" he knows he can beat mark, but he knows kimi is going to be much harder. I can't Beleive him, you respect him so much do you vet? Yet every collision you two have had you have said its his fault. Turkey 2010 any outsider could even tell from watching the clip that it was vettel's fault, even friends of mine I showed the clip to and don't watch it were like" show us the Vettel and webber crash everyone is talking about" and straight away they say" he plain an simply cut webber of" and blah blah blah. I don't wont to bring up the past but this clown has already started doing a Hamilton. Please kimi, come and smack this kid up.

[The Shadow 0]

"I have the utmost respect for Mark as a driver..."

Ah.... so he's planning a career in standup comedy after all this is done.

[Emmcee 0]

Yep seems that way lol, see he knows he can beat mark so he is guranteed the best stuff, but kimi, he knows kimi will give him a much harder time and knows kimi can win a title. IMO Vettel is terrified, he says they are friends, that won't last long at all if kimi is snapping at his heels, there will be another rb collision and yes it will be kimis fault

[Rainmaster 7]

As good as Kimi is these days, I'm convinced Vettel would have the beating of him over a season. Would really love to find out, though. Definitely a much more interesting partnership for us fans.

[Emmcee 0]

Iam intrested to see how mentally strong seb will be if kimi is on the pace, different character kimi doesn't say much at all, where as mark will tell people whats going on and sebs sees that as a weakness I think, kimi I think will scare this kid. But something tell me they will pick a toro rosso driver as seb is asking rb to talk with him on his new teammate, so I think he wants a tr driver to back him as a "proper no2" imo

[brambilla 0]

I think Mateschitz has shown a surprising amount of independence in the past few years regarding who drives the non-Vettel car - I'm guessing Marko did not go into the 2011 and 2012 season recommending that Webber be retained, and yet he was (Altho I cant remember if other Quality drivers were available at the time of Webbers Contract negotiations).

I expect if Kimi doesnt goto Red Bull, it's because he well and truly doesnt want to, not because of anything Vettel \ Marko says.

[Jean-Pierre 0]

Vettel knows kimi would probably beat him and he does not want him there IMO. That is why I predict unfortunately that vergne or his big mouth team mate will replace mark at rb.

This friend thing with kimi is bs.

[Rainmaster 7]

Vettel knows kimi would probably beat him and he does not want him there IMO. That is why I predict unfortunately that vergne or his big mouth team mate will replace mark at rb.

Nobody can know what is in Vettel's mind except himself. He might not want Kimi there because he's a stronger driver than Webber, but that doesn't mean he thinks Kimi would beat him. Just means he knows it's more difficult to beat Kimi and more of an annoyance. All champions have expressed such sentiments before regardless of what they say about the joys of having a strong team mate, from Rossi in MotoGP to Senna, Schumi and Alonso in F1. All great talents in control of a team, and none of them interested in having a super strong team mate unless it was necessary for their own success. I don't actually think Vettel would be that worried about Kimi as a team mate, even though he may express a preference against it, because F1 drivers like Vettel are super confident in their own abilities.

This friend thing with kimi is bs.

Yes they are, unless you are using a different definition of friend. They meet up away from the track and in the paddock plenty of times. Watch an F1 press conference and see them talk throughout. Yep, they're friends. Probably in actuality one of the closer friendships between drivers in the paddock these days. It's obvious to anybody they are very similar in their dispositions and humour so it's unsurprising.

Now, whether a friendship like that has any influence on whether Vettel wants him as a team mate is a different thing (it doesn't), and whether it could last if they were team mates is difficult also. But those are different matters. For the moment, they are friends.

[Jean-Pierre 0]

Nobody can know what is in Vettel's mind except himself. He might not want Kimi there because he's a stronger driver than Webber, but that doesn't mean he thinks Kimi would beat him. Just means he knows it's more difficult to beat Kimi and more of an annoyance. All champions have expressed such sentiments before regardless of what they say about the joys of having a strong team mate, from Rossi in MotoGP to Senna, Schumi and Alonso in F1. All great talents in control of a team, and none of them interested in having a super strong team mate unless it was necessary for their own success. I don't actually think Vettel would be that worried about Kimi as a team mate, even though he may express a preference against it, because F1 drivers like Vettel are super confident in their own abilities.

That is your opinion. Mine differs. Kimi is the stronger of the two and would beat Vettel consistently in the second half of next season, if Kimi goes there.

Yes they are, unless you are using a different definition of friend. They meet up away from the track and in the paddock plenty of times. Watch an F1 press conference and see them talk throughout. Yep, they're friends. Probably in actuality one of the closer friendships between drivers in the paddock these days. It's obvious to anybody they are very similar in their dispositions and humour so it's unsurprising.

Now, whether a friendship like that has any influence on whether Vettel wants him as a team mate is a different thing (it doesn't), and whether it could last if they were team mates is difficult also. But those are different matters. For the moment, they are friends.

They might talk together but it does not mean anything.If Kimi goes at rb, you will see this "friendship" evaporate in no time.