Over the eight seasons since his Formula One debut in 2002, Mark Webber had clinched a total of six podium finishes, but some had started to question whether he would ever win a race. On Sunday, however, Webber finally got his chance, taking victory ahead of Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel at the German Grand Prix.
“It was a very special day,” he said in an interview on Red Bull’s official website. “Personally, for me it was very nice but the fact that the team also got another one-two seems to have got ignored, but that was also very important. We’ve made the most out of the last couple of races, in which we couldn’t have done better. I’d had two second places, so I knew the momentum was with me and now I’ve got the win. It’s just great to finally get the victory.
“I’ve now crossed the uncharted waters of pole position and a victory, so that can only help. It can’t be a hindrance, that’s for sure. To lead and not be the chaser was a first for me. I hope that the momentum can continue, even if there is no doubt there will be some tough races in the future. But getting this first win means that when it’s close, the races might seem more straightforward for me.”
As the first Australian in 28 years to win a Grand Prix, Webber has been inundated with messages of congratulations from around the world. But the 32 year-old was particularly bowled over by the reception he received when he attended a post-race debrief, at Red Bull’s UK base in Milton Keynes, on Monday.
“It was incredible,” he explained. “As an introduction for me, they played the recording of my car-to-pit radio as I crossed the finish line. I didn’t realise how long I was shouting for! The response was incredible. There are still a lot of people at the factory whom I worked with back in my Jaguar days there and we have been through a lot together.
“There are also a lot of new people, who haven’t been in Formula One for that long and they are at the start of an incredible journey. As a team, as a group of people working together, including those at Renault, everything that Dietrich (Mateschitz) has done, and Adrian (Newey) with his group and Christian (Horner), we have finally unlocked the door to success.
“The past few years have certainly been tough, but now we have clearly made the most of the new regulations and shown we are a team that can fight at the front. We know we can expect some fights this season with other teams coming through, but that’s what this sport is about and we’re ready for it.”
Webber’s German victory is Red Bull’s third of the season following Vettel’s wins in China and Great Britain. The team is now just 19.5 points adrift of Brawn in the constructors’ standings, while Webber is third in the drivers’ championship on 45.5 points, with Vettel in second on 47, and Brawn’s Jenson Button in the lead on 68.
Source: http://www.formula1.com
“It was a very special day,” he said in an interview on Red Bull’s official website. “Personally, for me it was very nice but the fact that the team also got another one-two seems to have got ignored, but that was also very important. We’ve made the most out of the last couple of races, in which we couldn’t have done better. I’d had two second places, so I knew the momentum was with me and now I’ve got the win. It’s just great to finally get the victory.
“I’ve now crossed the uncharted waters of pole position and a victory, so that can only help. It can’t be a hindrance, that’s for sure. To lead and not be the chaser was a first for me. I hope that the momentum can continue, even if there is no doubt there will be some tough races in the future. But getting this first win means that when it’s close, the races might seem more straightforward for me.”
As the first Australian in 28 years to win a Grand Prix, Webber has been inundated with messages of congratulations from around the world. But the 32 year-old was particularly bowled over by the reception he received when he attended a post-race debrief, at Red Bull’s UK base in Milton Keynes, on Monday.
“It was incredible,” he explained. “As an introduction for me, they played the recording of my car-to-pit radio as I crossed the finish line. I didn’t realise how long I was shouting for! The response was incredible. There are still a lot of people at the factory whom I worked with back in my Jaguar days there and we have been through a lot together.
“There are also a lot of new people, who haven’t been in Formula One for that long and they are at the start of an incredible journey. As a team, as a group of people working together, including those at Renault, everything that Dietrich (Mateschitz) has done, and Adrian (Newey) with his group and Christian (Horner), we have finally unlocked the door to success.
“The past few years have certainly been tough, but now we have clearly made the most of the new regulations and shown we are a team that can fight at the front. We know we can expect some fights this season with other teams coming through, but that’s what this sport is about and we’re ready for it.”
Webber’s German victory is Red Bull’s third of the season following Vettel’s wins in China and Great Britain. The team is now just 19.5 points adrift of Brawn in the constructors’ standings, while Webber is third in the drivers’ championship on 45.5 points, with Vettel in second on 47, and Brawn’s Jenson Button in the lead on 68.
Source: http://www.formula1.com