Mark Webber

Mark Alan Webber (August 27, 1976 - Present): An Australian racing driver from Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Webber became the 16th Australian Formula One driver and one of the sport's most popular and respected competitors. He competed in Formula One from 2002 to 2013, winning nine Grands Prix across 12 seasons with Minardi, Jaguar, Williams, and Red Bull. After success in Formula Ford and Formula 3000, and a remarkable victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999 with Mercedes (becoming the youngest winner at age 22), Webber made his Formula One debut with Minardi at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, sensationally finishing fifth in his home race to score points immediately. After two seasons with Jaguar (2003-2004), Webber joined Williams for 2005-2006, achieving podiums but no victories.

His career transformed when he signed with Red Bull Racing for 2007, initially struggling but finding form as the team improved. Webber's maiden Formula One victory came at the 2009 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in his 130th race start, becoming the first Australian to win a Formula One Grand Prix in 28 years since Alan Jones' 1981 Las Vegas victory. From 2009 to 2013, Webber became a consistent race winner and championship contender. He won two races in 2009, four in 2010 (including Monaco and Britain), three in 2011, two in 2012 (including Monaco again and Britain again), and one in 2013.

Webber finished third in the World Drivers' Championship in 2010, 2011, and 2013, helping Red Bull secure four consecutive Constructors' Championships from 2010 to 2013. His partnership with teammate Sebastian Vettel became increasingly fractious as Vettel won four consecutive World Championships (2010-2013) while Webber played supporting role, culminating in the controversial 'Multi 21' incident at Malaysia 2013 when Vettel ignored team orders and overtook Webber for victory. Frustrated by internal team politics and feeling disadvantaged within Red Bull, Webber retired from Formula One after the 2013 season at age 37, achieving nine race wins, 13 pole positions, 19 fastest laps, and 42 podiums across 215 race starts.

Following retirement, Webber joined Porsche's World Endurance Championship program, winning the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship with Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley. He became a respected television pundit for Channel 4 and BBC, and in 2016 published his autobiography 'Aussie Grit: My F1 Journey.' Webber was inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame in 2019, the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame in 2018, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017. Known for his straightforward personality, dark humor about his own misfortunes (coining 'not bad for a number two driver'), and status as a fan favorite who never quite received equal treatment from his team, Webber remains one of Australia's greatest motorsport champions and one of Formula One's most beloved drivers.