Formula 1: Tantalising Taste Of Success
- November 15th, 2010
- Posted by EUEditor
Mark Webber’s persistent campaign has yielded him third placing in the 2010 World Championship, behind the winner, Sebastian Vittel, and Fernando Alonso.
Vittel, from Germany, driving for the Red Bull team, with Webber, is 23, and the youngest-ever winner of the prize.
Without a race win he’d kept in the points tally, then clinched his victory by taking out the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, last race in the season, on Sunday (14.11.10) — overtaking the points-leader Alonso (Spain, Ferrari).
Mark Webber ended a run of non-placings and break-downs in July last year, winning the German Grand Prix, and this year has chalked up both Grand Prix wins and poll position placements in the time trials.
His eight place on Sunday was enough to give him the third place overall, and also much in the way of praise and congratulations from further South, (beginning at the home town, Queanbeyan).
A few lines from sports writer Paul Gover in the Melbourne Herald Sun set the tone:
“MARK Webber does not need a world title trophy to prove he is a champion.
“He has done Australia proud through the 2010 Grand Prix season with the best performance since Alan Jones retired.
“He has starred at the front of Formula One, won races and scored big points, and done a great job in representing himself, his team and his country.
“More importantly, he has kept his chin up through some massively tough times and remained focussed despite a clear bias in the team towards his young team mate…”
See also, EUAustralia Online archive, “Mark Webber”, from “More sport: Mark Webber makes it …”, 13.7.09.
Reference
Paul Gover, “Title can wait – Webber a champ anyway”, The Herald Sun , Melbourne, 15.11.10.http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/motor-racing/title-can-wait-webber-a-champ-anyway/story-e6frfgb6-1225953950156, (15.11.10).
Robert Grant, “Webber beaten with head held high”, Nine-msn, Sydney,15.11.10. http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8140893, (15.11.10).