Slow down, Webber tells fans
Mark Webber has pleaded for time from his fans as he prepares for his first season in a competitive car.
The Australian has finally found his way to a top team with Williams but is eager to cool hopes of an immediate world championship challenge.
Webber’s best result remains the fifth he scored on his Formula One debut with Minardi three years ago but enthusiastic home fans have championed him as a potential challenger to Michael Schumacher in this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
But Webber said: “They had me in Formula One three years before I was in Formula One and now they have got me world champion three years before as well.
“I’d like to win races but to say we are going to win the world championship from Ferrari, it’s a long shot but you never know. We’ll be giving everything and you never count Williams out.”
Webber is famous as one of the most down-to-earth drivers in Formula One and he is determined not to let the expectations of his home fans distract him from the task in hand at Albert Park this weekend.
“It gets bigger every year,” he said. “Each year expectation gets higher which is only natural. There’s no question about it, it is going to be an exciting year.
“They are happy to have an Australian racing but also they expect high things. It’s dangerous for me but I’m just here to do the job for my team. We can only go out and do our best.”
Webber concedes Williams are underdogs this weekend after a difficult time in testing.
His high hopes for the new car were not realised immediately and Williams have pushed through improvements over the winter to try to close the expected gap on the front-runners.
“We need to find some more pace, there’s no question,” he said. “You can’t dream in this game, you have to go out and deliver.
“We are expecting to be a little off, how much we don’t know. We have the weekend to find more pace.”
Webber’s predecessor at Williams, Juan Pablo Montoya, is expecting a much more competitive race this weekend.
The Colombian and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen have set the pace frequently in pre-season testing and he is quickly feeling at home at McLaren.
He said: “It’s actually pretty good. It’s been a good time with the test team and I have had quite a few tests with the race mechanics so I am settled in. The car is pretty good to drive. At the begin it was difficult but they have worked around it.
“I’m really happy. We have done our bit of work in testing and now it’s a matter of wait and see where we stand. I like the car, I’m a lot more comfortable in the new car.”
