Mark Webber dispirited after disastrous Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Mark Webber was at the forefront of a very incident-filled Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the Australian driver involved in several incidents throughout the 55-lap race. The Red Bull driver made contact with Pastor Maldonado, Felipe Massa and Romain Grosjean in a hectic race which ultimately resulted in retirement on lap 37.

After starting alongside Lewis Hamilton on the front row of the grid, many perceived the 36-year-old as Red Bull’s only true hope of a competitive result with Sebastian Vettel starting from the pit-lane. However, after yet another uncompetitive start which saw him drop from 2nd to 4th into turn one, Mark Webber’s race entered a downward spiral that would eventually conclude with a race-ending incident with the Lotus of Romain Grosjean.

Mark Webber’s first incident of the day occurred with the Williams of Pastor Maldonado, as the Australian driver tried desperately to overtake the Venezuelan driver for 3rd. However, this maneuver ended in disaster for Webber, as he left Maldonado no room and was tipped into a spin. This put the Red Bull driver behind the Ferrari of Felipe Massa, who Webber also found difficulty overtaking cleanly. At the same location several laps later, Webber tried to overtake Felipe Massa, however the two banged wheels and Felipe Massa eventually spun.

The Brazilian driver was understandably furious with Mark Webber’s antics, and was even more enraged when the marshals deemed their collision a racing incident. However, Felipe Massa was adamant that Webber should have been issued a penalty, believing the race stewards made the wrong decision.

"We braked at Turn 11, and he tried to pass me on the outside.” Explained Felipe Massa after the race, “I was doing the corner on the inside and then we touched wheels at the exit of the corner. Then, he decided to go straight to the chicane, so he cut the chicane. I did the chicane, which he cut, and he passed in front of me. I had to brake very strongly not to hit his car and I spun. So he caused an incident. But it is not the first time that we see the stewards not getting through the right decisions or the right direction. They decided not to give anything, which for me is completely wrong."

The Australian driver’s race was then brought to a premature conclusion on lap 37, when Mark Webber collided with the rear of Romain Grosjean’s Lotus, as the duo tried their best to avoid the spinning Sauber of Sergio Perez. Although Perez was later issued ten second stop-and-go penalty, Mark Webber’s race had run its course.

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