28/07/2004
NEWS STORY
Mark Webber says he's excited and relieved that months of speculation over his future have finally ended following today's announcement that he will join the BMW WilliamsF1 Team in 2005 after two years with Jaguar Racing. His signing with one of the most successful teams in Formula One history, signals another major step forward in the Australian's Formula One career and one he believes will give him the potential to challenge for race wins and ultimately world championship success.
Webber had held the key to the driver market ever since it became known current BMW WilliamsF1 Team drivers, Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher, were leaving at the end of the 2004 season. And, although there was keen interest from other teams in Webber's services for 2005, he refused to stray from his own belief that Williams was the team best suited to him, and used his well-known dogged determination to ensure he joined the team of his choice.
"There's no question this is a very exciting time in my career," added Webber before embarking on a three week summer break, "and it was certainly the biggest day in my career when I signed the BMW Williams contract. However, I'm under no illusion of the work ahead of us if we're to achieve the goals we both aspire to. What the team has achieved in Formula One over the years is phenomenal and although it hasn't enjoyed the success it would have liked to in more recent years, it understands the culture of winning and has incredible depth and strength to draw upon. I'm really looking forward to working with and learning from Frank Williams and Patrick Head as they are two of the most respected names in the sport."
Founded by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head in 1977, Williams has enjoyed a hugely successful history in the sport, having won nine Constructors Championships and seven Drivers Championships, including the team's first ever world championship victory in 1980, won by Australian Alan Jones.
Meanwhile, Webber has become one of the sport's rising stars after three seasons in Formula One. His first season was with Minardi in 2002 when he finished fifth on his F1 debut in the Foster's Australian Grand Prix. Although racing for the minnows of Formula One, a string of other impressive performances quickly caught the eye of Jaguar Racing's then team principal, Niki Lauda, who signed him for the 2003 season. Last year, Webber scored a number of sixth and seventh places to finish the season 10th in the world drivers championship, scoring 18 out of the team's 19 championship points. Webber is presently 12th in this year's drivers championship with seven points to his name following last weekend's impressive sixth place in the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
Although Webber is excited about his future prospects, he remains committed and focussed on his role with Jaguar Racing for the remainder of the 2004 season, and admits it won't be without a tinge of sadness when he leaves. "The last three races have been very rewarding for our team, with reliability greatly improved and the pace of the R5 certainly embarrassing some of our so-called bigger and better financed rivals. We'll certainly be pushing as hard as ever and chasing every single point we can right until the last race in Brazil in October.
"I've never enjoyed leaving the teams I've driven for in the past, as it's important to forge strong relationships with the people you work with, and in doing so you become a part of that family. I'm still very close to all the people at Minardi, and I will remain the same with those at Jaguar Racing who have put me in a tremendous position from which to progress my career with Williams."