Mark Webber: retires from F1 after '13, joining Porsche LMP1 next year

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Confirmed:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23074108

Reports of his retirement being planned:
www.crash.net/f1/news/190804/1/webber_to_quit_f1_at_end_of_season__report.html

Porsche denies signing Webber, says they'll announce a line up this Fall:
http://motoring.syd.ninemsn.com.au/cars/motoraction/8642489/porsche-denies-play-for-webber



Lots of hot talk coming up after round 3 of the 2013 F1 season from China that Webber's signed a five-year deal with Porsche to race in WEC starting next year. Big news! Who will get that second seat? Kimi, an STR grad?

It's going to be so awesome seeing him kick ass in Le Mans with a true Porsche return and all the new epic 2014 regulations.

I'll try to add more sources as I find them, but this is very early stuff at this point still of course. Should be hearing from Porsche soon. I was watching the WEC race and heard the Radio Le Mans crew bringing it up as a bit of very important breaking news. Has to carry some good worth for them to mention it during coverage for WEC like that.

https://twitter.com/SportingJournl/status/323398280388173824

https://twitter.com/GTPorsche/status/323395007748923392

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsNews/status/323394163699765248

Official Le Mans Twitter acting like they know something:
https://twitter.com/24hoursoflemans/status/319627120164888576

https://twitter.com/F1Kate/status/323386267670810624
 
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I hope he hasn't made this kind of decision based on the past few weeks. He might not be having the best of luck recently, but that could change throughout the year. He'd be giving up his career in Formula 1 for Sportscars.

If this is true, we'll get to see Mark at Le Mans.
 
Wardez
May as well post it here too, lots of hot talk coming up from China that Webber's signed a five-year deal with Porsche to race in WEC starting next year. Big news! Who will get that second seat? Kimi, an STR grad?
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If true, it's a bit sad as RBR would have finally 'beaten' him as it were. Like or or lump it basically.

I cannot see any 'A' list driver wanting a seat alongside SV at the moment; not when you have seen that the team cannot control him. Very early days, but it would have to be a Hulk/ STR/ Di Resta type person...
 
It's a pretty huge opportunity to come into such a legendary team as a number 1. Things are gonna be a lot more exciting next year with the new WEC regulations as well.

Of course he'll always have F1 in his heart but I think it's much better to exit from a top team and head into another top team in a category where he can definitely be on top with performance and stay relevant for a lot longer.

@Mike
Yeah, still sad of course, he gave so much to RBR.

As far as who could fill that seat, there's been lots of recent talks of Kimi, and Seb and Kimi get along great supposedly, so.
I think Kimi would command more respect from Vettel, they could be a killer combo.

I honestly can't see either of the STR guys taking the seat.
 
Mike Rotch
If true, it's a bit sad as RBR would have finally 'beaten' him as it were. Like or or lump it basically.

I cannot see any 'A' list driver wanting a seat alongside SV at the moment; not when you have seen that the team cannot control him. Very early days, but it would have to be a Hulk/ STR/ Di Resta type person...
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It will be disappointing to see him go if this is true, but I guess it gives chance to see how good Sebastian is against another driver.

I would think most drivers in F1 who aren't already in the big teams would be interested in that seat. One big audition this season might be for the up-and-coming drivers, Kimi seems to be probably only one from top team that might also try and get that seat.
 
I never expected him to extend his contract again even before Sepang, this was always going to be his final year IMO. As for replacement Ricciardo if keeps up his form all season otherwise one of the other midfield prospects. Can't see Kimi going there, friends as team mates never usually ends well.
 
SimonK
I never expected him to extend his contract again even before Sepang, this was always going to be his final year IMO. As for replacement Ricciardo if keeps up his form all season otherwise one of the other midfield prospects. Can't see Kimi going there, friends as team mates never usually ends well.
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Lewis and Nico are friends. Kimi has worked with Red Bull before.
 
Martin Brundle mentioned during the race that he thought Hulkenburg would have been better suited at McLaren instead of Perez. Hulkenburg has displayed great race pace and proved he has the ability to lead a race over the last few races. I agree with him, he's definitely shown more potential than Perez has recently. Maybe he'd be interested in the seat if it becomes available?

I don't really know who would want to team up with Vettel at the moment. If Kimi was to join Red Bull, that would be a great combo. Two very demanding characters.

EDIT: Sorry, daan, I was typing as you posted that.
 
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Dietrich has said many times that he'd like Kimi, he thinks they'd work well as a team, but of course he's been wrong about things before. Personally, I do think they'd work with each other well.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...bers-future-balance-Sebastian-Vettel-row.html

http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/3213/8630604/Kimi-unfazed-by-Red-Bull-rumours

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/report-mark-webber-to-quit-f1-20130403-2h62n.html

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns25197.html

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...n-Toro-Rosso-pair-Mark-Webber-as-2014-options

https://twitter.com/SportingJournl/status/323398280388173824

https://twitter.com/FOXSportsNews/status/323394163699765248

Official Le Mans Twitter acting like they know something:
https://twitter.com/24hoursoflemans/status/319627120164888576
 
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Well, that's even better news to me that he'll be racing in an LMP1, rather than a GT car. He'll actually be racing for the lead of the race, challenging the likes of Audi, Toyota and Rebellion. 👍
 
Furinkazen
Webber has been at Le Mans before for Mercedes - he is no sportscar rookie.
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Webber's two airborne excursions in the Mercedes in 1999 may have prepared him to do the same for Red Bull in 2010. 3 nasty flips and no injuries. That's impressive. F1 losing Webber would be a loss but I'm sure Red Bull has some one in mind there. Who would go to STR?
 
This hasn't been confirmed officially AFAIK. I am surprised if true more by how quick he is leaving F1 when he might have a number of chances to win races in F1 and even a WDC. Porsche is not a surprise though I think.

SimonK
They are now, who knows if they still will be by the end of the season.
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They have been team mates before too and got along well. I think if you get along well, less likely to have problems, for example last race, Lewis and Nico got along a lot better than the Red Bull pairing who aren't friends.
 
Saidur_Ali
This hasn't been confirmed officially AFAIK. I am surprised if true more by how quick he is leaving F1 when he might have a number of chances to win races in F1 and even a WDC. Porsche is not a surprise though I think.


They have been team mates before too and got along well. I think if you get along well, less likely to have problems, for example last race, Lewis and Nico got along a lot better than the Red Bull pairing who aren't friends.
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He's getting the short end of the stick he feels at RBR and unless Massa leaves Ferrari, he'd be stuck there as the clear second driver where he in many ways will be bridesmaid to Vettel. That probably isn't sitting well with him.
 
Blitz24
He's getting the short end of the stick he feels at RBR and unless Massa leaves Ferrari, he'd be stuck there as the clear second driver where he in many ways will be bridesmaid to Vettel. That probably isn't sitting well with him.
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Still a big thing to leave behind, it is possible he could have a season similar to 2010 but potentially win a WDC. Who knows what will happen in 2014, things are decided on such small details in F1, can swing either way quite easily.
 
Nothing confirmed yet. A tweet from a magazine does not equal confirmation.
 
Also hasn't been denied. It would be different if GT Porsche was the only entity reporting that they got their information from good sources, but publication after publication is citing the same anonymous "good" sources.

I'm waiting for Porsche to say anything about 2014, not even just Mark, 2014's right around the corner.
 
Under normal conditions, and providing he keeps it up beating JEV, Ricciardo would be the one to take Mark's seat, I reccon.

Personally, I'd prefer if Felix da Costa enters F1 directly to RBR instead of STR. I truly believe he'd give Vettel a run for his money within a short period of being in the team.
 
Abit Skeptical on this news. Last I heard, Porsche "Interested in Mark". This is about the only news outlet (that I know of anyway) that mentions anything about him being linked to it.
 
I'm not as skeptical nor am I completely surprised if this turns out to be true.
 
I very much doubt this is true - for now.

Webber has handled the fallout from the Malaysia episode pretty well. Upset as he was at the time, he's now got a cool head about him. He's not going to go making snap decisions, especially considering that he doesn't enter into contract negotiatons with Red Bull until the middle of the season. At the very least, I'd expect him to see what kind of offer they make for 2014, and go from there.
 
Yeah, but it was never taken too seriously until now that all these different sources started tipping people to a supposed signing in China.

It's like last year at Monza when everyone "knew" that Perez had been signed by McLaren but it still had to be classed as hearsay.

I expect either a denial or confirmation this week, but if it doesn't happen, then I'll assume he has signed but can't say anything until a certain point later this year.
 
Webber denied it already. There won't be anything said officially I think until the car reveal. Even then they may not announce all their drivers!
 
Do you have a link where Webber's denying?

I posted a link up top where a guy from Porche racing denied it, also talked about how they're gonna release everything this Fall and let Audi **** bricks.
 

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