Mark Webber urges Button and other F1 stars to consider endurance racing
Former F1 star Mark Webber suggests F1 drivers should move into World Endurance Championship
Mark Webber has again suggested Jenson Button and other F1 drivers should consider moving over to sportscar racing in the World Endurance Championship.
The former world champion’s future at McLaren is unlikely to be settled until next week’s season-ending Abu Dhabi GP. And Webber, who is in Bahrain this weekend racing for Porsche in the LMP1 class of the WEC, has been speaking to Auto Express about why the Brit may be mulling over a move.
Asked how many times he has spoken to Button to come over, Webber responded: “It’s been interesting – there’s been a lot of F1 drivers talking. They’re a bit disappointed where it [F1] is and there are many many paid drivers on the grid, which makes it all a bit different now. To get a test in an F1 car you need to bring 400,000 Euros for one day.”
When quizzed on whether he would like more F1 stars to follow the path he trod from Red Bull to sportscars, Webber smiled: “It would be nice to add to the friends I have here and there is a bit of a trend coming, but let’s see. “F1 is still a phenomenal sport but it is not at its peak at the moment in terms of depth and quality throughout.” Webber went on to explain why the switch worked for him – and could work for others.
“The appeal for me is more focus on the racing, less focus on the off-track stuff,” he stressed. “I accept when I was 22 this was not my focus – my focus was Formula One. When you come to a little bit more of the twilight you have to accept that [the switch in focus]. Jenson? For sure, it is his decision at the end of the day, as it was mine. “At 38 coming to 40, this is perfect for myself. But there are some interesting age groups having a look at this now.”
Speculation about Button’s future ramped up when Webber tweeted him earlier this week to say: “@JensonButton matey just sign that sportscar contract and get on with it.”
And of the furore that followed the tweet, he joked: “It’s amazing what you can do when you’re on the toilet!”
Do you think more F1 drivers should make the switch to the World Endurance Championship? Let us know in the comments below...
