Webber linked to Ferrari for next season?

[John S]

"There may be a pre-contract" says Blancafort a leading F1 reporter.           
Both Mark and Nando see eye to eye, and are still connected through Flavio. This rumour has a jolly nice ring to it - even if in time it proves false. 

Mark Webber might have signed a pre-contractual agreement with Ferrari, one of Spain’s leading F1 correspondents has revealed.

Raymond Blancafort, writing for El Mundo Deportivo, referred to widespread speculation in the paddock about Sergio Perez’s likely future alongside Fernando Alonso.

"There may be a pre-contract," he said, "but between Ferrari and Webber."

Australian Webber was also linked with Ferrari last year, before Red Bull decided to sign him up for another single season. The 35-year-old was overshadowed by his teammate Sebastian Vettel last year, but he has begun the 2012 season more strongly.

And Webber warned before the 2012 season began that if Red Bull didn’t re-sign him for 2013, "I’d need something (else) competitive (to drive). Being at the front, is certainly a big, big factor of me staying very hungry and motivated."

Ferrari may be looking to replace Alonso’s current teammate, the struggling team veteran Felipe Massa, for 2013.

Raymond continued "They (Ferrari) would be able to take advantage of his (Webber’s) experience, the consistency of his results and the fact that he gets along with Alonso.

"Interestingly, Webber is also still involved with Flavio Briatore", as is Alonso, Blancafort noted.

Nextgen-auto.com, Today.

[Scott]

Slow news day is my guess.  What about Perez? 

[cosworth151]

"I’d need something (else) competitive (to drive). Being at the front, is certainly a big, big factor of me staying very hungry and motivated."

That rules out Ferrari, doesn't it? 

[Jericoke]

"Interestingly, Webber is also still involved with Flavio Briatore", as is Alonso, Blancafort noted.

Nextgen-auto.com, Today.

Extra interestingly... if Ferrari continues to struggle and decides to clean house... and has 2 drivers from Flavio's stable... and Flavio is Italian... and Flavio has a history of winning...

There's not a lot of dots to connect.

[Dare]

I wonder if Flav still has any friendly Renault contacts?That
would be Mark's best bet

[F1fanaticBD]

I don't see any reason for Webber to sign for Ferrari, why would you join a midfield team, while you are in on top, with out-qualifying your team-mate in 3 out 4 races?

Even if he is having problem with the German princess, having more sugar than him, he should consider Lotus/Renault or Mclaren (Though I don't believe they are possible at this moment), but not Ferrari, because the team is in shambles, it is struggling for every other element that is required by Webber, to be true contender for Driver's championship..

I wonder what good its going to do having Flavio connection, though I know these are closed door politics, but Flavio being out of the sports, how much he can wave is wand?

[Jericoke]

I don't see any reason for Webber to sign for Ferrari, why would you join a midfield team, while you are in on top, with out-qualifying your team-mate in 3 out 4 races?

If you can find me an F1 driver* who wouldn't jump at the chance to race for Ferrari, you can have my second born  (trust me, you don't want the first... )

Even if the car wasn't fit to get out of Q1, it's a dream they all share.  That's why Mark would sign for the Scuderia.

(*Not counting those who already have)

[John S]

I don't see any reason for Webber to sign for Ferrari, why would you join a midfield team, while you are in on top, with out-qualifying your team-mate in 3 out 4 races?

If you can find me an F1 driver* who wouldn't jump at the chance to race for Ferrari, you can have my second born  (trust me, you don't want the first... )

Even if the car wasn't fit to get out of Q1, it's a dream they all share.  That's why Mark would sign for the Scuderia.

(*Not counting those who already have)

Right on Jeri. I'm sure most of the grid would give anything to become a Ferrari driver, it's the proverbial cherry on the F1 cake.

I think if Mark doesn't get the drivers crown this year he will probably consider it out of reach and therefore may be looking to extend his carreer in F1 with the ultimate challenge of trying to please the Tifosi.

 

[vintly]

Right on Jeri. I'm sure most of the grid would give anything to become a Ferrari driver, it's the proverbial cherry on the F1 cake.

I think if Mark doesn't get the drivers crown this year he will probably consider it out of reach and therefore may be looking to extend his carreer in F1 with the ultimate challenge of trying to please the Tifosi.

How much longer will drivers give anything to race for Ferrari? If they continue their downward slide through the grid - and there's nothing to say they won't - I wouldn't be surprised if their seemingly bullet-proof allure starts to look a bit fake. I hope they sort it out, but it don't look good.

Totally agree with your second point, Mark's getting on and he's a realist - Ferrari might represent a breath of fresh air and a new challenge.

[lkjohnson1950]

Why does everyone assume he is out at Red Bull? If R/B offer him a decent contract, why wouldn't he say yes? And honestly, I don't think R/B has a young driver ready to move up. If thy bring up someone who is blown away by Vettel, what good is that? The only joker in the deck is Marko, who is an unpredictable idiot.

[Scott]

I agree Lonny.  Until RBR have a replacement for Mark who they are sure can post at least as good results, why would they ditch him?  Both Mark and RBR seem satisfied with year by year contracts, so on they go.

[John S]

The story only talks about a pre-contractural agreement for Mark, I take it that's just an option not a confirmed drive.
With a few drivers out of contract this year, notably Hammy, it makes sense for drivers like Mark to secure a decent option to stay on the grid. 

Or perhaps he's just trying to avoid becoming Ruben's teamate. 

[Scott]

I think Mark has done what he came for in F1.  Not a champion, but some really good years.  Mark has a life outside F1, apparently unlike Rubens.  He will go biking, enjoy life in Oz and maybe dabble in another series, but I don't think we'll see him staying in F1 just to stay in F1.  Unless Ferrari has a major turnaround this season, they won't be any more than a mid pack team, and Mark has more sense than to go there.  I don't agree that every driver in F1 wouldn't turn down a seat at Ferrari.  Unless you are contractually the No1 driver, Ferrari just seems like a place for a compliant tail gunner, and I don't know if ANY F1 driver today wants that position, Ferrari or not.

[F1fanaticBD]

Rubens should not be seen like that, as long as he could stay in the field, as long teams thought they have chances with him he stayed. We should not forget to them its a pleasure to be on a F1 car, and I don't blame anybody clinging to that..

With Mark, I don't know, perhaps after Vettel's win in Bahrain, probably made him felt like enough is enough with this Austrian team with its German princess. But choosing Ferrari he should realize its about re-building a whole team, from scratch to the philosophical ideology, so he will never get a shot at world championship.

Why people are almost certain Alonso will stay at Ferrari, what are the chances of a swap? Alonso knows in his prime he will be far off with RBR than Ferrari, and with Renault as a supplier, we could not rule out Flavio's invisible hands, could we??

Alonso & Vettel in RBR
Webber & Perez in Ferrari
Kimi & Button in Mclaren
Hamilton & Romain in Lotus
Nico & Senna in Mercedes

Wild I might be, but its the nature of this season, being insane is the most sensible thing...

[lkjohnson1950]

I don't think Ferd would go to a team that already has a defacto #1. He needs the strokes all to himself.