Q: With Mark Webber's contract only in place till the end of the season where do you think he will end up? With recent results most would argue that he is at the peak of his career in terms of performance which would mean his stakes are well and truly high. I feel that he will most likely sign a new deal with Red Bull however Toyota or BMW or even Renault maybe a real possibility.
A: We must face the facts - Webber does not have high stock. At least not with the top 3 teams. His stock is not even as high as someone like, say, Nico Rosberg. The hype machine is an amazing thing. A driver like Sebastian Vettel would sooner get a drive with BMW than Mark Webber. And in fact, I would hazard a guess that if Heidfeld is replaced, it will be with the unproven but highly rated Vettel. The best Webber can do is sideways steps. To Renault or to Toyota. It is a big call, considering that all of the mid-pack teams boast a fair bit of potential leading into 2009. I believe the best thing he can do is stay with Red Bull. If Webber is ever going to win a race or fight for podiums, it will be because Adrian Newey and Geoff Willis build a Red Bull rocket ship for 2009 or 2010. It won't be in a Ferrari or a Mclaren. Webber will need what Alonso got at Renault; a team that works around him and punches out a couple of phenomal seasons. That is the state of play and F1 is a tough game. But then, if wins and wdc came cheap, there wouldn't be a spectacle.