Mark to Lotus Renault ?

[Valve Bounce]

Reported that Lotus Renault's team principal Eric Bouiller is interested to have Mark on board :Aussie ace Mark Webber in Lotus pose | Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/grand-prix-2011/aussie-ace-mark-webber-in-lotus-pose/story-fn7q3txe-1226081958030)

The team is getting really competitive with Petrov's great drives and will only improve with time.

[RJL25]

I don't think Mark would be leaving the benchmark team for a mid-pack drive just at the moment, regardless of how much potential Renault may have. BUT we know that he struggles with the concept of being a number 2, and if things keep going the way they are at Red Bull, then this will only get worse... he will definetly be number 2 at Ferrari, so that only leaves McLaren, and thats only if Lewis leaves McLaren, which I seriously doubt will happen. So maybe Renault is the move??

What does all this mean for Kubica though? If they are going to make Webber the undisputed number 1, are they casting doubts on Kubica's ability to return??

[Hawkmoon]

... and will only improve with time.

And that's something Webber doesn't have. He's on the downside of his career and a move to Renault is an admission that he's no longer serious about the world championship.

[RJL25]

And that's something Webber doesn't have. He's on the downside of his career and a move to Renault is an admission that he's no longer serious about the world championship.

I think Mark's priority would be Red Bull, then Ferrari, then Mclaren, and only then would he go to Lotus Renault

However, it may well be that he ends up at Lotus Renault if their are no options for him at the other teams or if the deal they put on the table, ie a "number 2 driver" clause, is not satisfactory to him.

[steveaki13]

I think if he leaves Red Bull he has lost his chance of a world championship and he may well rather call it quits than move to Renault.

[Koz]

So Kubica's career is effectively over then?

Mark is old, he doesn't have 3-4 seasons left in him if he is in a midfield team... I hope he doesn't become a Fisi/Trulli... If he can't get a RBR, Ferrari/McLaren driver, he should call it - no point being nearly world champion one day and never winning a race again... Unless he's aiming for Rubens' record for most starts...

[N. Jones]

How about if Red Bull trades Mark to Ferrari for Massa?

It's all speculation... we'll find out more when the time is right.

[Big Ben]

I think if he leaves Red Bull he has lost his chance of a world championship and he may well rather call it quits than move to Renault.

waiting for SV to break a leg (literally) is not much of a plan however.

[intheway]

I think if he leaves Red Bull he has lost his chance of a world championship and he may well rather call it quits than move to Renault.

I think people forget that winning the world championship isn't the only reason these people drive... there's also among other things, the money.

Why not spend a year or two at Renault and keep building his fortune? He's got many years before he's 65.

[keysersoze]

I think people forget that winning the world championship isn't the only reason these people drive... there's also among other things, the money.

Why not spend a year or two at Renault and keep building his fortune? He's got many years before he's 65.

With Renault's rumored financial woes, I doubt they could pay him more than he's making now. And it would have to be significantly more for him to make a move. I would think after 10+ years in F1 that Mark is doing very well financially, and $$$ is a secondary concern for him.

He's not going to win a WDC at RBR, but he might win races. I'd also say he's highly unlikely to win at Renault, and it might not be so easy to beat Petrov.

OT, I'm a Vitaly believer, but I'd really like to see Kubica return fully healthy to see if the Renault's potential is being maximized.

[The Black Knight]

And that's something Webber doesn't have. He's on the downside of his career and a move to Renault is an admission that he's no longer serious about the world championship.

Yeah but may be a move to Renault while he has 2 or three more years left in him isn't so bad an idea either? Lets face it, we saw last year that Red Bull were happy to sacrifice Mark's championship hopes in order to aid Sebastien's. With Mark's Pirelli tyre struggle this year then I doubt this will ever change so if he ever wants to become world champion it's very unlikely to happen at RBR.

[ioan]

With Renault's rumored financial woes, I doubt they could pay him more than he's making now. And it would have to be significantly more for him to make a move. I would think after 10+ years in F1 that Mark is doing very well financially, and $$$ is a secondary concern for him.

He's not going to win a WDC at RBR, but he might win races. I'd also say he's highly unlikely to win at Renault, and it might not be so easy to beat Petrov.

OT, I'm a Vitaly believer, but I'd really like to see Kubica return fully healthy to see if the Renault's potential is being maximized.

I am not a fan of his but Webber is every bit as good as Kubica was (and probably won't be again).

[ioan]

Lets face it, we saw last year that Red Bull were happy to sacrifice Mark's championship hopes in order to aid Sebastien's.

Any chance you can back this up?
Red Bull gave both their drivers equal chances to win it and as only one can be the winner one had to lose.

[The Black Knight]

Any chance you can back this up?
Red Bull gave both their drivers equal chances to win it and as only one can be the winner one had to lose.

Silverstone. Red Bull takes your wings.

[Big Ben]

I don't know why but I feel like saying welcome back Valve. I'm under the impression that I haven't seen you around here lately.... though I might be wrong.

[CNR]

this may be true
the other night on one he said that he will be making his decision in the next couple months

[ioan]

Silverstone. Red Bull takes your wings.

That was mid season, and it didn't harm Webber's chances at all.

[RJL25]

this may be true
the other night on one he said that he will be making his decision in the next couple months

I saw the interview too. In all previous interviews he was quite clear that he wasn't leaving Red Bull, but in that most recent interview on One HD I thought he was very much leaving the door wide open to going to another team...

Even though Mark isn't performing as well as last year, he seems to be way more motivated and happier then he was last year for some reason. In the interview he kept refering to the fact that he had "options" and he was "looking forward to sitting down and having a good look at all the different possibilities"

Sounds to me like a man who is quite excited about the opportunity of doing something different... and he does keep saying that Ferrari has "a certain attraction for a driver"

[555-04Q2]

Mark Webber will be the new safety car driver when he retires from F1. You heard it here first boys n girls.

[AndyL]

Mark Webber will be the new safety car driver when he retires from F1. You heard it here first boys n girls.

Bernd Maylander has led a lot more laps than Webber so far this year so that could be viewed as a promotion.

[555-04Q2]

Bernd Maylander has led a lot more laps than Webber so far this year so that could be viewed as a promotion.

:laugh: I remember BM being asked in an interview if he would prefer to be in the F1 cars than the safety car and he replied, "No, because I am always in the lead car!" :laugh:

[Mia 01]

Why want people on the board this, Mark to Renualt. He will stay at RBR.

Are there anyone here that belive thet RBR would hire Hamilton instead?

[steveaki13]

waiting for SV to break a leg (literally) is not much of a plan however.

True but if the currant pace is similar next season, being in a Ferrari means he is less likley to beat Vettel, best chance is in the same car, rather than an inferior one.

[raphael_2]

That was mid season, and it didn't harm Webber's chances at all.

How about the fact that after Monaco, when they decided that Vettel's car was faulty, they 'fixed' it, and gave it to Mark Webber for the rest of the season?

I think it was clear that Red Bull favour Vettel, though ultimately they will try to do their best to provide both their drivers with equal machinery. However whenever there was a time in which the team could have been argued to favour one over the other, they seemed to favour Vettel, every single time. It could have been a coincidence, however even in situations like Turkey, where Vettel was clearly to blame (unless you are of the belief Webber should have just let him pass), they seemed to come out and defend Vettel, and stay silent with regards to Webber.

[zako85]

I can't imagine why would Webber want to leave RBR unless there was some kind of personality conflict over there. RBR has stated recently that they're interested in keeping Webber. At RBR, Webber has a good shot at winning podiums regularly and races occasionally, a reward that most drivers on the grid can only dream of. Can he accomplish the same driving a Lotus Renault car? I don't think so. The pace of Renault's suggests to me that the team does not develop its cars much in mid-season.

[tfp]

I can't imagine why would Webber want to leave RBR unless there was some kind of personality conflict over there. RBR has stated recently that they're interested in keeping Webber. At RBR, Webber has a good shot at winning podiums regularly and races occasionally, a reward that most drivers on the grid can only dream of. Can he accomplish the same driving a Lotus Renault car? I don't think so. The pace of Renault's suggests to me that the team does not develop its cars much in mid-season.

Exactly, petrovs podium at the start of the season proves that.

[TheFamousEccles]

Why want people on the board this, Mark to Renualt. He will stay at RBR.

Are there anyone here that belive thet RBR would hire Hamilton instead?

I for one doubt that that RBR would hire Hamilton - he's a fast driver and all, but his mouth and ego are likely to be a little abrasive. I can't see Vettel putting up with Loulou's current entitlement attitude, one cossetted primadonna per team is enough - just look how well Loulou and Fred got along. Throw in Helmut Marko to the mix, light the fuse and stand well clear.

I once was a fan of Hamilton, especially when he burst onto the scene and came within a gnat's whatsit of winning the WDC. Undoubtedly a talented driver, but the last two seasons have seen my esteem for him diminish.

Anyhoo, this is a Mark Webber thread innit? I also doubt he will go to Lotus Renault (unless they make him an offer he can't understand - everyone has a dollar value critical mass), and Horner is on record as stating that they would like to retain his services....but this is F1...

[intheway]

I for one doubt that that RBR would hire Hamilton - he's a fast driver and all, but his mouth and ego are likely to be a little abrasive.

Agree. Red Bull do seem to have a fairly relaxed atmosphere, at least from what we can see on the BBC, and I reckon Hamilton wouldn't fit into that anywhere near as well as Vettel does.