Friday January 4, 2013
Webber: I fear quitting too early or leaving too late
LONDON: Mark Webber has revealed he fears quitting too early or hanging around too long in equal measure.
The Red Bull star, who at 36 will be the oldest driver in the 2013 F1 field now Michael Schumacher has gone, was responding to questions about when he will retire.
He admitted choosing the right time will be tough.
Webber said: “I haven’t been there yet but it is going to be a very difficult moment, no question about it.
“I suppose it’s just about getting the timing right – not pulling the plug too early, knowing you have more to give of yourself, or going too long and not being quick enough or struggling to do the things you used to be able to do. That can become an issue as well.”
Though Webber won at Monaco and Silverstone last year – and was in the world championship hunt until halfway through the season – he was ultimately again outperformed by team-mate Sebastian Vettel.
The Aussie believes he still has a lot to offer F1 but admits there is a fine line between the wisdom gained with age and the inevitable drop-off in sharpness.
Webber, who is entering his 12th F1 season and his seventh with Red Bull, told GP International magazine: “You never stop learning, so a 22-year-old Mark Webber was nowhere in terms of wisdom.
“But now I have a lot of wisdom it’s about dropping that into your whole skill set and performing better.
“But there comes a point where even that’s not enough to keep you at the front. And that’s when you need to stop.”
Webber’s Red Bull contract expires at the end of this year. — The Sun, London
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