Hamilton senses Webber close to retirement

Mark Webber could be planning to hang up his formula one helmet at the end of 2010, Lewis Hamilton said in Sydney on Wednesday.

After taking the helm of a racing yacht for a sponsor event on famous Sydney Harbour, the 2008 world champion suggested to reporters that Australian driver Webber’s ninth home race this weekend might be his last.

"I don’t know how long he plans to stay in formula one but I get the sense that it’s one of the years he wants to finish on top and perhaps call it a day," Hamilton, who drives for McLaren, is quoted as saying by the AAP news agency.

Webber, 33, drives for Red Bull, whose 2010 car was described by Hamilton earlier this week as "ridiculously" fast.

Expanding on Webber’s possible retirement, Hamilton added: "He has the best chance to end on that high this year and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is considering it."

It has been rumoured that Red Bull, already with the 2007 world champion under contract in world rallying, could install Kimi Raikkonen as Sebastian Vettel’s teammate in 2011.

Webber’s contract runs out at the end of the season.