Mark Webber, former Formula One driver will retire from professional racing at the end of the world endurance season in Bahrain in November. Webber had earlier stepped away from Formula One in 2013, and joined Porsche to compete in the World Endurance Championship and he helped the manufacturer win in 2015.
“The six-hour race…on November 19 will be the last time the reigning World Champion from Australia will compete as a works driver,” Porsche said in a statement. Post this Webber will become a Porsche ‘special representative’ at global events and work as a consultant on motorsport programmes
Mark Webber, 40 won the World Endurance title with Porsche in 2015 with Germany’s Timo Bernhard and New Zealander Brendon Hartley.
On announcing his retirement Webber initially said:
“I have arrived where I belong,” “Porsche is the brand I always loved most and the one that suits me the best.”
Webber, the winner of nine Formula One Grand Prix with Red Bull said:
“I will miss the sheer speed, down force and competition, but I want to leave on a high and I’m very much looking forward to my new tasks.”
“It was a big change from Formula One to LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype) and an entirely new experience. But it came at the right time for me,”
“It will be strange getting into the race car for the very last time in Bahrain but for now I will thoroughly enjoy every moment of the remaining races.” (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Porsche LMP1 vice-president Fritz Enzinger who also paid tribute to Webber’s contribution towards the project and his association with the brand said:
“Already in the important period of building up the programme, Mark has strengthened us with all his experience and he seamlessly integrated himself into the team,” he said.
“Behind the wheel he is a fair fighter, never shy of even the toughest wheel-to-wheel battle. At the same time, he thinks strategically and is team orientated.
“This mixture makes him invaluable as an endurance racer. Winning the 2015 drivers’ world championship together with Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley almost seemed to be a logical consequence.”
Mark Webber has an amazing record and spell at the Formula One where we competed in 215 Formula One races for Red Bull, Minardi, Jaguar and Williams. He also placed third in the Formula One driver’s championship on three occasions in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
