What's wrong with Mark Webber??

[ZigenGT]

What's happening with Mark Webber? Before the F1 season started, they was all kinds of hype about him being world champion, winning races etc etc. but he's been below this season. Just a single podium & struggling to beat his German teammate doesn't look like the making of a champion. Is it Williams fault or is it that Webber is just too overrated?

[Dahtone Racing]

hes shit simple as that

[boston]

there are allot of factors..

mark is running with a newer aero package, which has proven to not be as good as the older one.. his team mate flat out refused to run with it but mark is doing the right thing trying to develop the car long term..

the team is not as strong as it has been in the past and they are having problems keeping bmw on side.. has to have an effect on everyone at the team..

mark has never flat out dominated in any class of racing.. from karts to F1 he has always been up the front but you wouldnt put him in the same class as senna, prost or ms

my $0.02

[ECR033]

hes shit simple as that

Care to elaborate why?

I personally think that's a fairly uninformed generalisation to be honest. It's a well known fact that the Williams is a dog of a car this year and that Webber has had some fairly bad luck as well.

The pre-season hype was fueled by the uninformed Australian media. Both Williams and Webber had talked down their chances of being at the front of the grid before the season even started. It's not pessimism, just a realistic view of where they were compared to other teams on the grid. I think both Williams drivers have performed quite well this season given the equipment they've got.

I agree that Webber will probably never be a Schumi, Senna or Prost, but then again, neither have a lot of other world champions. It doesn't mean he doesn't have what it takes to perform well and win in F1. He has always consistantly out performed his team mates and I think he will prove the same thing again by the end of the season. Give him a decent car and he will perform...everyone forgets how well he went in the Jag when it was severly underpowered compared to the top teams. His current car is in a same position now relative to the other teams and I think his performances have been very respectable through the season thus far.

[Beer Baron]

hes shit simple as that

yeah I know. in fact all those F1 drivers are shit. couldn't drive a nail into a plank of wood. plus i hear they are all wearing womens underwear.... man if only they'd let you out there to show them how it's done.

[Silver-Arrowz]

Do they have to be at Senna or Prosts level to be world champion? JV, Hakkinen and Hill are great drivers with championships to their names but aren't regarded in the same arena as Prost and Senna. Guys like Senna and Prost are a once in a generation time deal. Kimi and Alonso are looking to be the next F1 kings.

Webber is good. It's the chassis that's lacking. Williams always have had aero problems. Last season and the season before it's the same story, Gobsmack load of HP (fast in speed traps) but lap times are slow. And Frank and Patrick's solution to fixing their aero problems is dead set wrong... firing their head of aerodynamics. Mclaren were having issues with their twin keel setup last season but they never fired suspension guru Mike Coughlan. They made him work his ass off to find the solution since he designed the setup.

BMW are leaving Williams because they know how lacking the chassis is. BMW want control over the chassis design.

[Dahtone Racing]

yeah I know. in fact all those F1 drivers are shit. couldn't drive a nail into a plank of wood. plus i hear they are all wearing womens underwear.... man if only they'd let you out there to show them how it's done.

i never said i was a good driver i never said i was better than him

there was so much bullshit about him being this and that and he hasnt proved shit.

he makes stupid mistakes almost everytime he gets behind the wheel.

IMO hes shit compared to the real front runners in the championship

who knows he might get better in time, but atm i think hes got no hope.

thats just my opinon

[Beer Baron]

fair enough mate. everyone has their opinion. there may be more diplomatic and eloquent ways to express them though. just saying 'he's shit' doesn't really say much.

FTR I don't think i'd say he makes silly mistakes everytime he gets behind the wheel. He is a great qualifying driver and a pretty good racer too. I think with the right car he could certainly go all the way.

[Kor'axis]

Webber's alright. yes he should've done better this year if he didn't stuff up a few time but hell, in F1 as it currently is, it's all about the cars, and the Williamsjsut aren't doing it this year.

[Duncan]

What worries me is that Heidfeld is consistently out qualifying and out racing him I take the point about the different aero on the 2 cars but in the end its only results that count

[wrxkilla]

yeah this is very worrying...

i thnk if hes not careful we might find someone like button replacing him next year....

mick

[Silver-Arrowz]

Heifield is probably going to be part of the BMW-Sauber deal. I doubt he'll remain. Webber and Button is more likely the line up for Williams.

Button is again going to cause issues with silly season. Will he remain at BAR or be shipped to Williams? He signed the dotted line for 2005-2006 seasons. Word has it that Rubens has signed up with BAR next year. Is Massa going to Ferrari and fullfil his destiny as Number 2? Will JV stay at Sauber?

[benm]

Webber won't be replaced next year (still on contract) however he certainly will have to perform next year otherwise he'll be shown the door.

[Beer Baron]

I don't much like masa, can't explain why I just don't. I guess I've spent too much time looking at him farking around in a sauber for him to have any credibility with me.

Webber will pick his game up. His qualifying this weekend was to be expected as he was out 2nd, and kimi ran very light (and drives a maclaren!) to get to where he did on the grid. Like they say Hungary is not the track to have to run first on.

It's so funny that last year button wanted to go to williams and BAR challenged that contract to keep him. now there is no question he should be at williams next year, but i imagine he wont be wanting to go so BAR will probably again fight to keep him though I am assuming his williams contract is air tight.

[Silver-Arrowz]

Well, it's confirmed. JB doesn't want to go to Williams and now JB wil have another sh*t fight with Williams. Both parties sat down and talked but we'll have to see the outcome.

Rubens is tired of being number 2 (or as Jean Todt said, 1b) and has signed for 2006 with BAR. Taku is pretty much gone, pretty dismal his performances anyway. so BAR will have a new line up for 06. Ferrari have officially announced Massa as their new "1b" driver for 06.

[Flaps]

Webber is not shit.

Frank Williams and Jackie Stuart rate him very highly(They know their drivers). Webber's manager forget his name but the bloke in charge of Renault tried to get him to come to renault this year insted of Fisichella. He made a choice and it didn't pay off. He went with a team that has had alot of history in F1.

Williams was doing well in the early races because of the other teams being behind in development. Don't forget Webber was fighting for third position in Malaysia with Fisichella when they took each other out. Webber was clearly quicker. Heidfield then claimed 3rd after being 10 seconds behind.

In Monaco Webber was in front of Heinfield before the second round of pit stops. They called Heinfield in first and as a result he was in front of Webber after webbers stop. they finished 2nd 3rd.

As for qualifying, Webber is alot better then his team mate

Webber Heinfield

Aus 3 7

Mal 4 10

Bah 5 4

San 4 9

Spain 2 17

Mon 3 6

Eur 3 1 (Webber taken out in first corner of race)

Out of 7 qualifing attempts Webber is on top 5 to 2

People are punishing Webber for Williams mistakes. For 3/4 races in a row the Williams team could not find a fix for their slow starts. Its hard to make it into the first corner when other cars are going past you like you have the handbrake on.

It will be interesting next year when the cars will actually be able to pass each other again.

[Topaz]

I think the car has a little to do with it, but Ive noticed in the second half of races he just backs off (possibly exhaustion or something)

he just has to learn how to race endurance....

[Flaps]

I think the car has a little to do with it, but Ive noticed in the second half of races he just backs off (possibly exhaustion or something)

he just has to learn how to race endurance....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They turn the engine power down if they are not getting anywhere and just ride it out. The downforce issues need to be changed, i miss seeing cars pass each other in corners.

[ECR033]

I think the car has a little to do with it, but Ive noticed in the second half of races he just backs off (possibly exhaustion or something)

he just has to learn how to race endurance....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Care to give an example of Webber backing off in the second half of the race? I've practically watched every race of Webber's F1 career and I've never known him to back off during a race unless he's preserving the car or is totally out of contention to score points.

It's a well known fact that Webber is one of the fittest drivers in F1. It's also well known that he is also one of the most determined drivers on the grid. I think you'll find that any drop off in performance during the race is almost solely attributable to tyre degradation and/or any engine gremlins that develop during the race.

Webber will come good. He's had his share of bad luck this season (something which has almost alluded his teamate all year), eventually things will go his way. He had a decent race in Hungary so at least he's got a reasonable slot for qualifying in the sphincter of the universe. I don't think Williams will be so disadvantaged this race due to it being a new circuit and teams not having much data on it, so hopefully Webber can put in a good performance and get some more points.

[Are_thirty_two]

too much money now has made him content and less driven.

money makes you lazy