Mark Webber to leave F1

Red Bull driver Mark Webber has decided to leave F1 at the end of this season.

The 36-year-old Australian is joining German company Porsche's new sportscar programme, which includes an assault on the classic Le Mans 24 Hours.

Webber had options to stay in F1, either with Red Bull or another top team, but feels it is time to move on in his career.

Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen is favourite to replace him, with Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo or Jean-Eric Vergne options.

Webber described it as an "honour" to race for Porsche, adding: "Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding performance and technology at the highest level.

"I'm very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula 1. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world."

In 12 years in F1, Webber has won nine grands prix, achieved 36 podium finishes, 11 pole positions and 15 fastest laps and twice finished third in the World Championship.

Webber's best season was 2010, when he led the championship for much of the year before faltering in the final three races, falling behind team-mate Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

He has developed a reputation as a tough but fair competitor, with a direct and honest approach to the media, whose time at Red Bull has been characterised by an uneasy relationship with Vettel.

The German is championed by the company's motorsport adviser Helmut Marko, and Webber has often felt he has not benefited from the same support.

The tension has boiled over on several occasions during their five years as team-mates, most recently at this season's Malaysian Grand Prix, when Vettel ignored a direct team order not to overtake Webber to win the race.

The German initially apologised after the race, but subsequently said he would do the same thing again.

Webber was furious and it was widely believed that the drivers' fractious relationship meant he could not stay with Red Bull in 2014.

But Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz, with whom Webber has always had a close relationship, made it clear he could stay on if he wanted to, saying in April: "Whether he retires, only he will choose but Mark is definitely a candidate for 2014. He is always welcome with us."

Webber did consider staying with Red Bull for another season. But he has decided that with the big change in regulations next year that will dramatically alter the demands of F1 it is a good time to move on to a fresh challenge in a new category where he believes his long-term future lies.

He has never been a fan of the rapidly degrading Pirelli tyres that have been used in F1 since 2011 - Webber believes they prevent drivers pushing to the limit throughout the race, a characteristic he believes should be an integral part of the sport.

He is 37 this August, an age that for a Formula 1 driver he has admitted is "long in the tooth in some people's eyes", and recognised that even if he stayed on for another year, his time in the sport was limited.

Webber could have gone to another top team - at least one approached him - but felt that would be the wrong thing to do.

For one thing, Red Bull has produced the fastest car in F1 since 2009; for another he decided against a move to Ferrari last year partly because he felt that with time running out on his career the effort of getting used to a new environment was not worth it.

He will now spearhead Porsche's attempt to revive its glory days at Le Mans, a race it has won 16 times, the last in 1998.

Webber has raced at Le Mans twice before - with Mercedes in 1998 and 1999.

He was on pole position in 1998 but the car he shared with Germans Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Schneider retired after only 19 laps.

The following year an aerodynamic flaw in the Mercedes car caused him to flip on two separate occasions at more than 200mph, both times emerging without injury.

He said afterwards that he would never return to Le Mans because of the danger involved, but the lure of representing Porsche has proved too much to resist.

Source/ BBC Sport

So who do we think replaces him at RB?

Red Bull driver Mark Webber has decided to leave F1 at the end of this season.
The 36-year-old Australian is joining German company Porsche's new sportscar programme, which includes an assault on the classic Le Mans 24 Hours.
Webber had options to stay in F1, either with Red Bull or another top team, but feels it is time to move on in his career.
Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen is favourite to replace him, with Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo or Jean-Eric Vergne options.
Webber described it as an "honour" to race for Porsche, adding: "Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding performance and technology at the highest level.
"I'm very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula 1. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world."
In 12 years in F1, Webber has won nine grands prix, achieved 36 podium finishes, 11 pole positions and 15 fastest laps and twice finished third in the World Championship.

As predicted before that he would leave for Porsche, who do you think will take his place?

"Cough" ">https://www.606v2.com/t45812-mark-webber-to-leave-f1 

Good driver, will be missed by me. Always appeared a nice guy as well

Not sure Kimi will go to Red Bull, there is no way Vettel would allow another top driver to join. Ricciardo is my pick

damn, delete this then haha

I cant see Kimi at redbull tbh, i think it might be Vergne who may take the seat if its someone on the grid now?

could be Massa if Ferrari let go of him

It'll be Ricciardo, Kimi won't go to be an iron cast #2.

Shame, always liked Webber but he never really recovered from Vettels 2011 pace

Good guy but woefully inept at challenging Vettel and is a big reason why Vettel is now a three time world champion. Not sure he will be that missed if I'm totally honest. If ricciardo replaces him instead of kimi then we should just give vettel another two or three titles. Vettel has to realise that his legacy and reputation can only go so far until he partners a current top driver and beats him.

if Hamilton can't win, which is very likely and its a red bull domination then hopefully Webber can pull off the hat trick of silverstone wins. Good luck at Porsche mate.

Nobody on the grid would've beaten Vettel in 2011, and likely not 2012 either in the sister RB. He's dialled into that cars characteristics

Wtf? ridiculous comment that nobody would of beaten him in those years had it not been Webber in that seat. it's quite easy to say nobody would of beaten him after the fact but we werent given the chance to see what a real, competitive driver could do in that car, at that time. Vettel was and really has never been tested by webber consistently, nine wins by webber since 2007 says it all and again 7-0 in race head to head this season furthers this point. When Vettel gets pushed and under pressure, mistakes occur and he gets rattled. Vettel is a three time world champ and fair play but i have huge doubts about whether or not that would be the case if Alonso, Hamilton or Kimi was sitting in the same car. If Vettel puts his hand up at the end of the year and says, 'yeah, lets get kimi in that seat', then I would have instantly doubled the respect i have for him. winning another title and then partnering ricciardo will do nothing for him and the fans, paddock know that and the reason why his reputation is not great and he gets booed by the actual racing fans when on the podium. C'mon just prove your that good is all im saying.

Webber is no slouch, and it is to Vettels credit that he has thoroughly whupped him since 2011. Like or not, Vettels been the best driver in F1 for the last 2 years, and only Alonso can challenge him in that regard.

As for the concept that drivers have to take on a strong #2, Hamilton and Alonsos 1 year aside, neither has really taken on top class talent. Massa and Button around the same level as Webber, Kovalainen quite a step down. #1 drivers win championships, not #1.5

John wrote:Vettel has to realise that his legacy and reputation can only go so far until he partners a current top driver and beats him.

would also add that he changes teams/cars once in a while - a challenge in itself and something most of the greats have done to cement their legacies.

GSC wrote:Nobody on the grid would've beaten Vettel in 2011, and likely not 2012 either in the sister RB. He's dialled into that cars characteristics

have to disagree - the very top drivers can master any car and Alonso and Hamilton would be just as quick and in Hamiltons case probably quicker. Of course my assumption is based on both said drivers having at least a season and some technical input at Red Bull under their belts and not just turning up and being tossed the keys - as in Hamiltons case at the moment.

As for Kimi - some people suggest that he's too good and would upset Vettels apple cart and so don't believe he'll be at Red Bull but I'm not so sure. Pound for pound Kimi is top drawer - but the key to Vettels success and his many wins is starting at the front of the grid. Vettel probably calculates that as with Webber he can keep Kimi at bay on Saturdays - and probably the reason why Hamilton was a big no no - despite what anyone from Red Bull says.

Hamilton wouldn't have touched Vettel in 2011 for sure, that was pure dominance.

Alonso would be a far better bet than Hamilton both seasons regardless.

Your stating a fact of dominace by vettel in 2011 and then trying to add hamilton into the picture with your own personal view and not fact. understand my point? How do you know Hamilton would not have won multiple races that year? you dont. Do you seriously think Vettel would out-qualify the sheer speed over one lap of hamilton in every race weekend that year? seriously doubtful. Hamilton was the only driver to make q3 at every race weekend last year remember? Vettel's ability to gain pole over webber was the key to his success and it would not have been a domination had he or alonso been in that seat.

GSC wrote:Hamilton wouldn't have touched Vettel in 2011 for sure, that was pure dominance.

Alonso would be a far better bet than Hamilton both seasons regardless.

If you put a top driver in a car that is streets ahead of anything on the grid then you will get pure dominence (hell even JB looked awsome in 2009). So to say that a driver of Hamiltons class and a man widely regarded as the fastest in F1 wouldnt have 'touched' him in the same car is plain crazy and is so biased it aint worth arguing about. And the second sentence just confirms it.

Webber used to be one of my favourite drivers when he was coming up, from his excellent performances with Minardi to qualifying in the top 6 on multiple occasions in the midfield Jaguar. He was one of the highest rated young drivers and since then his career has been a little dissapointing, before Vettel came along he was known as the Qualifying king along with Trulli. Pretty much shows you how fast over 1 lap Vettel is, it's a shame he didn't win but when push came to shove he maybe didn't quite have it between the ears to be a champion.

He's certainly a good driver though, not top tier but he could be at times. All the best Mak Webbaa!  

Gonna be interesting to see who comes in, guys who've said Vettel won't have Kimi, has he ever been proven to skirt a challenge of a top driver? he wanted to go to Ferrari but Alonso wouldn't have him. I hope Kimi joins as he suits Redbull perfectly, though i think he would get hammered at least he'd have the chance to prove his poor performances against Massa wasn't when he was at his best.