NEWS: Mark Webber says farewell to F1

Mark Webber says farewell to F1
and joins Porsche's LMP1 Sportscar Programme

For those of you that have followed Mark's F1 career since 2002 and Minardi, you'll know it's been 12 years of successes, challenges and at times disappointment.  Not that I'm bragging but Mark has achieved nine grands prix victories, 36 podium finishes, 11 pole positions and 15 fastest laps and has twice finished third in the world championship, not a bloody bad effort mate!

For me as an Australian, Mark's best year in F1 was in 2010 when for 80 percent of the season I could watch as an Aussie dominated the F1 driver's championship leader-board.

Mark now moves onto driving for the Porsche LMP1 endurance programme in 2014 and as a enduro fanatic I'm very excited for Mark's future.  Porsche's return to Le Mans also signals a big wake-up call,  get ready Audi, the king of Le Mans is returning.

This from Mark of the future with Porsche: 'It's an honour for me to join Porsche at its return to the top category in Le Mans and in the sports-car World Endurance Championship and be part of the team, Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding technology and performance at the highest level.

I'm very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in formula one.  Porsche will undoubtedly set itself very high goals.  I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world.' (auto123.com)

Of course this will not be the first time Mark has raced in enduro motor-sport, in 1998 and 1999 Mark raced for Mercedes Benz (in the CLR proto-type no less) at Le Mans and while the cars suffered from aerodynamic problems, Mark's performance was excellent.

The below video shows how the Mercedes CLR of Mark Webber and Peter Dumbreck's 1999 Le Mans race can to a spectacular ending.  Fortunately both drivers walked away but Mercedes pulled it's remaining cars from the 1999 race and the Mercedes Benz CLR programme was ended.



Below is a photo of the 2013 Porsche's hybrid LMP1.

Thanks for the wonderful memories Mark, now go make some more at Porsche and Le Mans!

Want to find out more about LeMans and slot cars?

Be our guest and CLICK HERE

────────────────────────────────

Tweet

EVENT: Pikes Peak 2013

Race to the clouds.
Peugeot returns to Pikes Peak

What a formula, Sébastien Loeb, the Peugeot 208 T16 and Red Bull!  Peugeot has just made it painfully clear to the competition that they won't be accepting anything less than being the quickest to touch the clouds at this years running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June.

Watch this footage of Sébastien and the T16 performing some pre event testing at Mont Ventoux in France, epic stuff!  Check out these figures: 3.2L V6 Twin Turbo all-wheel drive, 875hp, 0-100km/h: 1.8s!

For Sébastien Loeb and the team alike, the run provided an opportunity to perform a dress rehearsal before June's trip to the USA for the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.

This from RedBull and Sébastien: 'The WRC legend was clearly happy to be back in the 208 T16 Pikes Peak, now painted in the colours it will wear on Pikes Peak. “It’s not the power that impresses me anymore; I’ve got used to it,” Loeb said, “It’s the speed at which the corners leap out at you which is more striking than round a circuit where there’s always a ‘100-metre’ board to show you where to brake. Here, you can be in fifth or sixth gear and you suddenly see mountainside ahead of you; you have to work out for yourself where you need to brake…”'

You can find out more at RedBull Motorsport here

────────────────────────────────

Tweet

EVENT: Korean F1

Thanks to Red Bull, Mark Webber takes us for a ride around the stunning looking Jeonnam South Korean F1 circuit, (be sure to watch this one on full screen).

"Before the Jeonnam Circuit in Korea hosts the F1 grand prix on the weekend of October 22-24, Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber presents us with all the details of this 5.6km track: turns, straights, braking points and overtaking opportunities. On this virtual lap, you will see the Korean International Circuit not only first, but also as you will never see it again. Hold your breath and enjoy the ride!"

────────────────────────────────

Tweet