mark webber has been dropped. what?

Question

i cannot get my head around this.
webbo is one of the brightest prospects in f1, did he say something bad after his car let go again.
he was having a great run at hockenheim.
is alex wurz really any better?

Answer 1

Yeah, I was quite shocked by that. But according to the paper I read this morning, "Mark Webber is adamant he will be in Formula One next season, claiming he rejected a new Williams deal in favour of 'something better'."
So he wasn't really dropped by Williams, but asked for quite a high wage increase.
With Flavio as his manager, I'm sure he'll find something, and I really hope it's a good one so he can show what he's worth!
To be honest, I'm a Mark fan and I've been disappointed by what he should have been able to achieve if the Williams car hadn't let him down.
Mak's apparently in talks with a few teams.
But I'm glad Wurz is coming back to F1 proper - he impressed me when he initially came into F1 and it's sad that he's been stuck as a test driver for so long. But, he's pretty tall and that's difficult to fit into a tiny F1 car.
Anyway, I hope they both do well!

Answer 2

well, he wasnt really dropped. Williams had an option on him for next year. obviously, if they let it expire there would be a chance of re-employing him on less money, however his manager Flavio decided they could find him a better package somewhere else. such as renault maybe... kimi will be at ferrari next year and webber wouldnt have walked out without having something in the pipleline, as he said so himself.

Alex has more experience than Mark, and he knows the car inside out. Whether he's better or not I'll leave to Frank to decide but he's a safe bet and without having had a race seat for a few seasons, probably a damn sight cheaper

Answer 3

He has not been dropped, he will be cruising around trying hard not to break the Williams, but next year that nice Herr Wurz (remember Monaco when he overtook Schumacher?) will get a chance to play with the big boys again.
Remember also that part of Webber`s management team is Flavio Briatore so my guess, along with a few thousand others is that he is going to Renault...
Oh, on that subject, who did Alonso brake test today ? Oh, just been told it was Robert Doorknobs. Ferdy is getting stressed eh ?

Answer 4

Probably couldn't afford him!!! Before he was dropped there was the talk about the pay cut... I asked a similiar question earlier actually coz I see it as a blessing in disguise!!

Just to add on from what Kayt said... Webbers pretty tall too - probably the tallest - and Williams tailored a car around his frame, so its not such a challenge to give Wurz a car to fit his frame!! I was impressed with Wurz when he got the chance to drive.

Goodluck to the Webster... I think he's brilliant and he showed that last week... wait till he gets a car like renault!!!!!

Answer 5

He hasn't really been dropped; Frank and Patrick had an option on him for two more years, but for a lot more money and it appears the Grove team either didn't want to or couldn't afford to pay the extra money and Mark wanted a raise. Let's not forget Frank and Patrick will probably pay a lot of Yen for those Toyota motors next year.
Anyway, I don't think we have to feel sorry for Mark, Flavio, his manager, will probably see that a small Australian flag is on the side of the cockpit of a blue and yellow car from Enstone next year.

Answer 6

Well he's managed by Flavio Briatore so the guess was that he is going to Renault, but it now looks as if he's going to Red Bull instead to be with DC. Suppose he's attracted to driving an Adrian Newey designed car.

I don't think that Wurz is any better, it was more of a case that Williams couldn't or wouldn't pay anymore for him to stay.

Answer 7

flavio is his manager and takes a pretty high cut of his wage,

flavio briatore (manager of renault) also manages fernando alonso, giancarlo fisichello, jarno trulli, and several other up and coming drivers

all of these drivers have had spells at renault in one way or another, so id say flav has good influence there and he will end up there

williams had an option on webber, but flav would have been looking for more money to maximise his time sensitive deal with webber and wurz is cheaper with race experience

wurz was often faster than mika hakkinen and david coulthard at mclaren but couldnt race bcos hes too tall to fit comfortably in modern size monocoques, his weight distribution also causes problems for engineers with ballast position during the race but he has been with williams for 1 year now and they feel its worth the chance

the money they save on driver salary, they can invest in making the new toyota engine gel better - as changing engines is a big statistical nightmare and they have done 2 years in a row now, nico rosberg is probly quite cheap in comparison to most others drivers on grid particularlky in terms of ability and williams have never been known for paying their drivers a lot or meeting high demands (not since nigel mansell anyway)

ayrton senna went to them for less than mclaren, damon hill was negotiated out of the door, as were several others

they also play hardball, alex wurz was signed to sauber once a few years back and lost out on his seat at last minute due to his size - so it wouldnt surprise me that he was being used as a bargaining tool again especially as nico rosberg is nowhere near his size or weight so that doesnt really make much sense unless williams is willing to build two monocoques for each race or wurz is willing to undergo his usual problems trying to fit into a cramped and small space but this affects his abiliity over a race distance

Answer 8

He wasnt dropped he decided he could do better some where else more of a mutial thing... i only ever saw Wurz last year looks good though should be fun next year

Answer 9

Wurz will always have a problem with his size and weight. Though Webber has always promised more than he's delivered, it has to be said.

Answer 10

He's going to a team that starts with RE