Today, Mark Webber will strive to create one of Formula One’s most unlikely narratives by striving for the world champion title at the age of 34.
Having spent much of his career overshadowed in the world’s most glamorous sport, he understands that a second opportunity is improbable. History has shown that F1 is typically not a welcoming arena for older competitors.
In the last two decades, only Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, and Damon Hill have managed to win the world title at an older age, but they did so as clear favorites in an era dominated by Williams’ high-performing cars that were envied by many in the paddock.
While Michael Schumacher secured the title at a slightly older age than Webber now, it was actually the German’s seventh championship.
Back in March, at the beginning of the season, the modest Australian was not viewed by anyone as a potential champion.
Sebastian Vettel, his teammate at Red Bull and one of three other drivers who might clinch the world championship today, was merely four months old when Webber attended his first F1 race.
Only Rubens Barrichello, Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld, and Schumacher are still racing among the drivers Webber faced in his debut back in 2002.
“I recognize that this opportunity may not present itself again, but I can’t push harder just because of that,” Webber shares.
“These are unfamiliar territories, if you will. But what changes will we make? None, of course.
“We will continue doing all the things that have been unique and special for us thus far.
“This is what sport is all about, isn’t it, mate? None of us would watch if we already knew the outcome.
“Things can pivot instantly. The championship might be decided at the first corner… or at the last.”
If Webber needs a reminder of the precariousness of his ambition to become world champion, he need only recall the terrifying crash he encountered on the streets of Valencia in June.
He became a mere passenger as his vehicle took flight after colliding with the back of Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus at 190 mph.
“I feared for my life,” Webber confesses.
“You don’t experience such a crash without considering the potential consequences. At that height, you are subject to chance. I worried about sustaining a career-ending injury, or something even worse.”
Even now, he avoids revisiting the distressing footage of the crash captured from inside his vehicle.
“It’s not something I enjoy looking at, mate,” he admits.
At the time of the incident, he made a joke of it, but now he acknowledges, “I did wonder how I’d feel about getting back in the car for the following race.
“There were aspects that arose after Valencia that took me by surprise. I suffered from delayed concussion, which increased the pressure for the next time I was behind the wheel.”
Webber can take pride in his resilience, and if fortune favors him again this afternoon, there will be those in an English country pub raising a toast to the friendly Aussie who has made England his home.
Webber, with a strong jawline and standing at 6ft 2in, is notably tall for a racing driver, and he does not actively seek out the spotlight.
He prefers spending time on his mountain bike or walking his dogs over being photographed at glamorous events.
Since landing his first F1 drive with Minardi—where he didn’t require payment as he was already contracted to Renault—he has noticeably adopted a more English lifestyle.
He resides in Buckinghamshire with his long-term English partner, Ann Neal, who also serves as his manager. Together, they co-own The Stag Inn, a charming gastro-pub located in Mentmore.
As he embarks on his ninth season in F1, Webber could only point to just two wins to his name;Both asserted last year that he had worked tirelessly to recover from a broken leg just in time for the first race.
Not long into the season, Webber, who finally had a fast and reliable grand prix car at his disposal, began to feel undervalued.
In his view, he believed that Red Bull’s management had prioritized Vettel becoming the team’s first world champion in only their sixth season.
This was a sentiment Webber expressed publicly on several occasions, and it carried some weight.
In reaction, Webber, with his straightforward Australian outlook, seemed to invite controversy as actively as he pursued championship points.
Prior to last week’s Brazilian Grand Prix, he mentioned that his speed and position of second in the championship, trailing Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso but ahead of Vettel, was ‘an inconvenience’ for those who cover his £5million annual salary.
Earlier, after clinching victory at the British Grand Prix, when Vettel had been granted both versions of the new front wing introduced at Silverstone after damaging the first, Webber bluntly stated on the team radio: ‘Not bad for a No 2 driver.’
Red Bull had previously absolved Vettel of blame when he collided with Webber’s car during the Turkish Grand Prix, despite most knowledgeable observers believing the German was at fault.
However, in the calm before the storm of this afternoon’s race, the Australian aimed to contextualize his rivalry with Vettel, which echoes the more intense partnerships seen in F1.
‘I’m a professional guy, and I always strive to be fair and provide an honest and straightforward opinion,’ Webber remarked.
‘Of course, we’re discussing this within reason, because we understand that sport at this level involves a lot of politics and nonsense.
‘Together, we’ve gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about managing two drivers at the front who are fiercely competing against each other. There’s also an aspect of me enjoying being under pressure.
‘Stirring things up a bit here and there isn’t a bad thing for me.
‘At the beginning of the year, my name wasn’t being thrown around as a potential world champion.
‘But here I stand — and while I’ve had an excellent car and am part of a fantastic team, that doesn’t mean I’ve been handed anything.
Whether coping with crashes, particularly the one in Valencia, or navigating the challenges posed by a young, fiery teammate, I have committed myself and taken responsibility.
‘I have earned the right to be in this position. Naturally, I want to add the finishing touches now, yet I recognize that other drivers feel they also deserve to be champions.
Seb has encountered reliability issues, Fernando can argue he doesn’t have the car we possess, yet he remains in contention, and Lewis can assert the same narrative.’
Both Vettel and Webber have secured four victories, but with ten podium placements, the Australian trails championship leader Alonso by just eight points, while the German is 15 points behind.
The smart bets suggest Vettel will willingly, rather than under illegal team orders, help Webber secure the title at Alonso’s expense once it becomes evident this afternoon that he cannot claim the honor for himself.
This outcome may not unfold until the conclusion of the lengthy, tense Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, set to commence in daylight at 5pm local time and reach its climax under floodlights.
‘Seb and I will shake hands today, as we do every day,’ Webber noted.
‘After his victory in Brazil, I was the first to say, “Good effort, mate.” He has reciprocated this acknowledgment to me several times throughout the year. The relationship is far better than people assume.’
Ultimately, the eleven-year age gap was bound to be a hurdle.
Vettel was still a child when Webber first attended the 1987 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide with his father, Alan.
‘It took my dad 13 hours to drive us from our home in Queanbeyan (near Canberra),’ Webber recalled.
‘I became skilled at recognizing drivers by their helmet colors, and the first driver I saw in pre-qualifying was Martin Brundle — I distinctly remember how incredibly fast the cars were.’
This afternoon, Brundle, while commentating on the race, may be celebrating Webber as world champion from his booth at the Yas Marina Circuit. Webber’s parents, along with his mother Diane, have traveled from Australia to support him.
For Webber is on the brink of proving that it’s truly never too late to become a champion.
‘I enjoy when people say I can’t achieve something,’ he stated, smiling with anticipation for the challenges of the day ahead.
