Mark Webber calm in approaching first F1 title
As Red Bull’s Mark Webber approaches what could be his first Formula One title with five races left this season, the 34-year-old racer is taking heed of Australian F1 champion Alan Jones’ advice and is
keeping his cool going into Singapore. Jones, who won the championship back in 1980, backed up compatriot Webber to win if the veteran maintains his current calm state of mind.
Webber, who will be the first Australian to win since Jones took the crown, told BBC Sport that he is relaxed, but determined to finish off the season with no wasted chances. “I have to put my best foot
forward and give it everything I've got and have no real regrets,” he stated. “It is a great opportunity for us and that is what we are aware of.”
Webber currently leads the driver’s championship with 187 points, a mere five points ahead of 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren. And the driver, though enjoying a highly successful season with
Red Bull’s technically brilliant car, acknowledges that this could be his last chance to engrave his name on the list of champions, having driven in F1 for eight years now.
“I would like to be 24 and have this opportunity again but I’m not,” he expressed. “It is a great opportunity for us and that is what we are aware of. That is very important to us but let’s not get ahead
of ourselves – it’s not here yet.”
Yet Webber is keeping himself from becoming too hot-headed, despite the thrilling ups and downs of the season and the impending championship pressure. “It’s exciting, I’m amazed at how relaxed I am,” he
admitted. “I’m very much at ease with what I’m about to go and do. You need to be very careful – if you get too wound up, thinking ‘oh I need to do this race, or do this one like that,’ you can just forget it. There have been some good highs but you have to
keep it level because you know there might be a low round the corner.”
He added resolutely, “I know what I have to do – and if I win as many races as I can in the close of the season, I’m sure that makes it much harder for the other guys to close the gap. Non-finishes kill
us, we know that but I will keep chipping away. There’s a few still in it at the moment and it might change a little bit. Three (contenders) is really no different to five or six, you just have to go there and do the same sort of job. There’s no point getting
panicked and stressed about things that aren’t really there. You just have to do your best driving and work hard with the team.”
With McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, and Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel all fighting for the lead, many critics have dubbed the 2010 season as one of the most intense
in F1 history.
Webber agreed. “At the moment I think the fans have a sensational championship to watch.”
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