user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Today's F1 is not racing, DRS is embarrassing - Webber

Today's F1 is not racing, DRS is embarrassing - Webber

  • Published on 19 Nov 2014 14:25
  • comments 1
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Mark Webber has admitted he is concerned about the road on which F1 has turned. Ahead of the radically-new turbo V6 era, the Australian veteran called time on his F1 career and switched to the increasingly popular Le Mans with Porsche.

So as the first season without Webber since 2001 comes to a close this weekend, the popular 38-year-old was asked by Austria's Salzburger Nachrichten to contemplate the highly-anticipated title showdown between Mercedes' two drivers. Webber duly gave his answer, but completed his comments with: "I have to say, there are more important things in formula one at the moment. I'm talking about the state ... the prosperity of the entire sport."

Indeed, it is a tumultuous time for F1, with backmarkers going out of business and the next-smallest teams fighting viciously over income and power. Webber thinks the sport also took a sharp turn with its new regulations this year.

"Look at Kimi (Raikkonen)," he said. "This is not racing. If you could drive the cars hard at the limit, he would be there. One fastest lap after the next. He's completely frustrated," said Webber, referring to the Finn who has struggled notably alongside Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso in 2014. "I also found Bernie Ecclestone saying he doesn't need a young audience in formula one very, very interesting," he added.

F1 will, however, have a 17-year-old on the grid next year. Webber is not impressed. "I'm not sure if people want to pay 400 euros for a ticket to watch a seventeen year old," he said. "We've had other cases, like Fernando or Kimi, but these were very special cases and the cars back then were much more difficult to drive, especially physically. The probability of failure was much greater. Now it's almost embarrassing when an F1 car comes out of the pits. It's like a slightly stronger GP2; it's not the formula one we were all used to," said Webber.

He said he does not particularly miss the highest category of open-wheeler racing. "It's been a few months since I watched an entire race on TV," Webber admitted. "After Brazil I was in a car listening to the radio, and 85 per cent of what they were talking about was the tyres. It's frustrating not only for the drivers but for the fans. DRS is embarrassing," he added.

"It's so different to the mid-2000s. I think the development of the last three or four years did the fans no favours. Four pitstops, what's that about? And these pay drivers -- we should have absolutely the best drivers in F1, but some guys who do belong there can't even afford the 400,000 euros they need for a single test day," Webber said. (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Ferrari Mercedes

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • BtwnDitches

    Posts: 204

    This is an excellent, wide-ranging and knowledgeable critique of F1's current state - and self-made predicament.

    • + 0
    • Nov 19 2014 - 16:27

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
McLaren
593
2
Ferrari
557
3
Red Bull Racing
544
4
Mercedes
382
5
Aston Martin
86
6
Alpine F1
49
7
Haas F1
46
8
Visa Cash App RB
44
9
Williams
17
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 564
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 165
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (43)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Ferrari
Ferrari
Show full profile
show sidebar