Ricciardo to replace Webber in 2013

[Scott Webber]

As Mark Webber prepares to commit to Red Bull for 2012, team consultant Dr Helmut Marko has given the strongest sign yet that his successor will be another Australian.

Marko reinvigorated the speculation about Webber’s future in Hungary by saying that the 34-year-old is likely to retire after racing one more season.

“Mark Webber will continue with us for another year, and then he will decide what to do in his career,” the outspoken Austrian is quoted by Italian publications including Tuttosport and Corriere dello Sport.

Marko reportedly added that “Red Bull will decide who takes his place, although it is likely it will be (Daniel) Ricciardo”.
He is referring to the 22-year-old Australian who recently made his grand prix debut at HRT with Red Bull backing.

“I thank the guys at Red Bull for the nice words, but it’s still too early to talk about the future,” said Ricciardo.

“I hope there is a chance to race with them, but first I need to beat my teammate Liuzzi, who is a few tenths ahead of me.”

As for Webber’s 2012 deal, he said he is on the verge of making his decision.

“I’ll decide about my future at Spa,” said Webber, referring to the forthcoming Belgian grand prix.

Asked if it is his decision alone, Webber simply answered “yes”, adding that the only thing he is weighing up is “purely my own motivation for racing”.

And as for Ricciardo, Webber told Austria’s laola1: “I think he has a great future ahead of him.”

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Horner said that he would like MW to stay for years to come and to be honest he does perform great at his age still.

 

[Thomas Dougherty]

i hope he stays. mark webber seems like a great guy and i want him to stay competitive. if it's about his "motivation for racing" then maybe red bull should let him once instead of vettel, you know...to get his balls back

 

[Luke McVicar]

Webber is getting old though it's a shame he didn't get a good car earlier in he's career, as he would of definetely matched kimi and Alonso and schumi 5 or 6 years back, but he's going to be 36 this year and at 37 next year it's pushing it exbecially as your body is starting to decline as your team mate is in peak age and form it will be very hard to match.IMO if webber was 5 years younger he would be faster then vettel, but he's bad luck in drives earlier in he's career is the only reason why he doesn't have a WDC to he's name.

 

[Thomas Dougherty]

Webber is getting old though it's a shame he didn't get a good car earlier in he's career, as he would of definetely matched kimi and Alonso and schumi 5 or 6 years back, but he's going to be 36 this year and at 37 next year it's pushing it exbecially as your body is starting to decline as your team mate is in peak age and form it will be very hard to match.IMO if webber was 5 years younger he would be faster then vettel, but he's bad luck in drives earlier in he's career is the only reason why he doesn't have a WDC to he's name.

That's why I feel bad for him. Like you said, he's talented and should have gotten a better car earlier. Just unlucky :/

 

[Eric Parker]

Strangely, I think Christian Horner maybe Webber's main backer at Red Bull. I just get the feeling the other high ups aren't very warm to him.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

It's kind of Horner's job to be Webber's main backer towards the media though to be fair.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Michael Schumacher set the new benchmark for old So Webber is still very young

 

[Mitchell Smith]

Barrichello at Brawn GP, anyone?

Schumacher at Mercedes, still top 5 material with the right car.

Don't start this rubbish about age, as Mark said, it really is completely a mental thing I think, though to be honest, the last two years have had more downs then ups and I can understand if he's feeling pretty demotivated, but there's only one place he's ever gonna beat Seb, and that's at RedBull. In the next few years, I seriously doubt McLaren or Ferrari will make a faster car..

 

[Ross Balfour]

Barrichello at Brawn GP, anyone?

Schumacher at Mercedes, still top 5 material with the right car.

Don't start this rubbish about age, as Mark said, it really is completely a mental thing I think, though to be honest, the last two years have had more downs then ups and I can understand if he's feeling pretty demotivated, but there's only one place he's ever gonna beat Seb, and that's at RedBull. In the next few years, I seriously doubt McLaren or Ferrari will make a faster car..

Age is far from just a number, you are in your peak around 30 years old, Mark is pushing onto 37... he has passed his peak for 7 years and it wasn't untill he was 34 till he had a championship winning car. I have liked Webber since he scored points in a Minardi in Melbourne all those years ago - he is a class act of a driver and its a shame he never had the backing that Hamilton or Vettel had,.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Personally, I'd say Webber was at his peak last season.

 

[Carlo Mantovani]

I have always thought Webber was a great driver ever since I can remember, It really is a shame he was stuck in the lower teams for the majority of his F1 career. If he had gone to Ferrari rather than Raikkonen when Schumacher retired/left then I think he would have been World Champion by now.

 

[Luke McVicar]

Personally, I'd say Webber was at his peak last season.

imo 05-06-07 was hes peak, it just wasn't highlighted due to hes poor cars in that period.

 

[Mitchell Smith]

Age is far from just a number, you are in your peak around 30 years old, Mark is pushing onto 37... he has passed his peak for 7 years and it wasn't untill he was 34 till he had a championship winning car. I have liked Webber since he scored points in a Minardi in Melbourne all those years ago - he is a class act of a driver and its a shame he never had the backing that Hamilton or Vettel had,.

It's true, he'll probably never win the WDC again, but he's still top 3 material and that's pretty impressive.

Would be good to see Daniel Ricciardo in a Red Bull though, a young kid winning races even earlier then Seb, but I feel guilty saying that, lol.