Porsche has refuted any claims that a deal with Mark Webber for the Australian to transition to sportscar racing in 2014 has been reached.
The future of the 36-year-old at Red Bull, as well as in Formula 1 overall, was uncertain even prior to the dramatic events of last month’s Malaysian GP, where Sebastian Vettel disobeyed team orders to overtake Webber for the race win.
While initial rumors suggested that Webber might quit Red Bull immediately, these were quickly proven to be inaccurate. Nonetheless, German media reports hinted that he was in discussions with Porsche regarding a potential move to sportscars next season, aiming to lead the iconic car manufacturer’s return to Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship.
Following the Chinese GP, speculation intensified, with reports from France suggesting that the nine-time grand prix victor may have already signed a five-year contract with the car manufacturer.
However, Porsche has clarified that Webber has not yet signed any contract with them, although they do not exclude the possibility of eventually bringing in external drivers for their 2014 program.
“Mark Webber has not signed a contract with Porsche,” stated Porsche’s motorsport spokesperson.
“Porsche will be back at Le Mans and in the Sportscar World Championship WEC in the top LMP1 class in 2014. Our existing ten factory drivers provide an excellent foundation for our driver lineup. A decision on whether we will add additional drivers will be made later this year.”
As has been the trend in previous seasons, Webber’s plans after the current season remain unclear, primarily because he has been under a rolling one-year contract for several years.
While discussing his future beyond 2013 during Thursday’s press conference at the Chinese GP, Webber emphasized that he never makes decisions about the following season this early in the year.
“Year-by-year [contract extensions], that’s my approach, so come summer, I’ll sit down with Dietrich [Mateschitz], and we’ll take it from there,” Webber stated. “We’re just three races in, and I have never made career decisions at this stage of the season. Although it’s a current topic, I don’t see any reason to decide on the future now.”