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Mark Webber

Australia Formula One Champion

Webber just misses out on top 10 at Hockenheim 30 July 2006 - 12:07am For immediate release July 29, 2006

WEBBER JUST MISSES OUT ON TOP 10 AT HOCKENHEIM

Mark Webber has qualified on the fringe of the top 10 for the 67-lap German Grand Prix after setting the 11th best time (1min 15.094s) in today’s official qualifying session at Hockenheim. Twenty-nine year old Webber missed the cut by half a tenth of a second after failing to improve upon his time on his final quali run. A similar fate also befell his WilliamsF1 team-mate, Nico Rosberg, who will start back in 15th position with a time of 1:15.380s.

“Qualifying seemed to be going OK for us and I was really enjoying it until I saw the times of the other drivers!” said Webber afterwards, “The last set of tyres was quite tricky for me as we had a very low level of grip and weren’t able to improve our time at all. Nico had the same problem - it’s not something we’ve experienced at all this season so we’ll have to investigate it further.

“It’s always nice to try and get into the top 10 these days but we didn’t have the pace to crack it. I do think we’re in slightly better shape for the race than we were for qualifying, so now that we have the freedom to do something with our strategy, hopefully we can plan our race so that it puts us in contention for a few points at the finish”

Although Webber sat out the opening session of Friday practice, he was one of the first to take to the track in the second. However, a light shower before the start made track conditions tricky and after an exploratory lap, Webber returned to the pits. However, he ventured out again once the track was dry and posted the seventh fastest time of the afternoon, a 1min 17.344s.

Webber completed a solid run of laps in this morning’s final practice session and was always in or around the top half dozen. However, he ultimately ended up 15th after his final run with four minutes remaining was thwarted by waved yellow flags after F1 rookie Sakon Yamamoto crashed the latest Super Aguri.

Mark enjoyed a relatively easy passage through the opening qualifying session, setting the initial pace with a 1min 17.878s before dropping to second behind Ralf Schumacher just as Scott Speed crashed heavily and caused the session to be red-flagged. Webber completed a further three timed laps in the final five minutes, his best time of a 1min 15.719s leaving him in a secure seventh place.

The Williams duo was the first to take to the track in Q2 with Webber depositing a 1min 15.094 in the bank, while Rosberg did likewise with a 1min 15.380s. Webber had slipped to ninth by the time he returned for his final run and with the two Ferraris yet to post a time, it was always going to be a close call! Webber had clearly anticipated being able to set a faster lap but all he could manage was a fractionally slower time, leaving his earlier time to secure 11th position on the grid.

- Ends -

RedBull Racing News
February 2007

Jerez Test - 3 day round-up
9 February 2007 | 6:16am

Jerez Test - 3 day round-up

8 February 2007

Drivers: David Coulthard and Mark Webber Cars: RB3 - 01, RB3 - 02.

Times: 6/2: David Coulthard 1.21.021 48 laps; Mark Webber 1.21.858 39 laps F/L: De la Rosa 1.20.001

7/2: David Coulthard 1.20.702 71 laps Mark Webber 1.20.629 37 laps F/L: Massa 1.19.746

8/2 : David Coulthard 1.31.166 69 laps Mark Webber 1.31.405 71 laps F/L: Heidfeld 1.29.486

Circuit length: 4.423 km

Some people are so obsessed with motor racing, they think the Formula 1 Championship should run all year round. Proving how deluded they are, today's weather meant that our factory staff struggled to even get to work in Milton Keynes because of snow, and rain affected the final day of this three day test in the south of Spain.

David and Mark each had an RB3 to drive, working on programmes that involved a bit of everything: traction control, aerodynamics, mechanical set-up and tyres.

Inevitably, on a car that has virtually no carry-over parts from its predecessor, the three days did not go completely smoothly, with a drive shaft failure and a gearbox glitch interrupting proceedings. "But it was still a productive test, during which we got through all our planned programme and made progress over the three days," maintained Chief Test Engineer, Ian Morgan. "The working relationship with Renault continues to grow and we got on top of our problems, covering a respectable mileage. It's a fast pace at this time of year and now we have just two days to turn the cars around and start testing back in Barcelona." /* The following tag is included solely to confirm that this is a valid email address */

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