Mark Webber - Aussie Formula One Driver Wins 2010 Spanish Grand Prix for Red Bull Team

Australian racing driver Mark Webber of the Formula One Red Bull team has clinched a third F1 title at the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya, Montmelo near Barcelona. Webber crossed the finish line 24 seconds before two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. Alonso pushed forward from fourth to second place after two dramatic late incidents caused chaos on the track. Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren crashed off the track with a puncture.

Webber's Red Bull team-mate German Sebastian Vettel scored third place despite having to take an additional pit-stop in the closing stages after he had gone off into a gravel trap. Seven-times champion German Michael Schumacher, 41, came home fourth ahead of fifth-placed defending champion Briton Jenson Button in the second McLaren.

Webber, aged 33, who won both the German Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand P in 2009, is the first Australian since Alan Jones in 1981 to reach this high level of success.

An Australian from Queanbeyan comes home to celebrate

On 22 March 2010, Mark visited his home town, Queanbeyan, NSW where schoolchildren lined the main street of Queanbeyan to welcome home their racing driver hero. Mark was guest of honor at a civic reception to commend him for his two Grand Prix wins in 2009. After a street parade, Mark was received by over 200 VIP guests inside The Q where he received a commemorative plaque from Tim Overall, the Mayor of Queanbeyan. Mark was also able to catch up with family and friends , including 1966 Australian Drivers' Champion and Gold Star winner, Spencer Martin, and Harry Galloway who engineered Mark's Yellow Pages Formula Ford in 1995.

After this civic celebration, Mark was a guest at the Canberra Raiders -vs- Brisbane Broncos rugby league match before flying to Melbourne to prepare for the Qantas Australian Grand Prix on 29 March 2010. Unfortunately, his placing in this Round 1Grand Prix was 13^th. His form fluctuated in Rounds 2 through to 8 until his Round 9 win.

Mark Webber has been on the F1 GP circuit for many years and is reaching peak performance with three Grand Prix wins for Red Bull in less than a year. He is based in the UK, but remains a "true blue Aussie".

Sir Jack Brabham Award presented to Mark Webber in March 2010

On Friday, 26 March 2010, Andrew Papadopoulos, president of the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS), presented Mark with the Sir Jack Brabham Award. Mark was honored with the award by CAMS for 'outstanding talent and determination as well as a significant level of success in international competition'.

The woman behind the man

Earlier this year, Mark Webber paid tribute to the woman he credits as the driving force behind his success. Ann Neal is his manager and life partner.

"She has been an inspiration to me," he said. "It is a case of behind every successful man is a good woman.

While some F1 stars are well known for their wild, womanizing ways, Webber said he enjoys the romantic notion that the woman who helps get him into the driver's seat is the same person he loves. They met in 1995 at the former Amaroo Park raceway in Sydney's western suburbs. Ann, who is 13 years Mark's senior, was starting a career in management. Webber hired her to kick start his career.

"She started to do some work for Dad and me trying to get some sponsorship," he said. "Not only did she get some sponsorship, I obviously became fond of her."

The couple moved to the UK in 1996 and, at first, kept their relationship quiet.

"We've made huge risks and gambles together," Webber said.

"Some of the decisions we look back on were crazy and ballsy at the time.

"But when you come to a cliff's edge and you have to make a decision, sometimes there is only one decision to make and that's to hit it full steam.

"Ann was very entrepreneurial in terms of coming up with ideas of getting through to the right people and giving me a tremendous opportunity to show my talents.

Those talents earned Mark Webber about $8.9 million in 2009. Webber has a BMW and a Renault in the garage of his home, which is near the town of Aylesbury, about 55km from London. But he doesn't enjoy driving on public roads. Away from racing, Webber is more comfortable playing with his dog, Shadow, and riding his mountain bike than living a celebrity lifestyle.

When Mark comes to Melbourne, Australia for the Grand Prix, he prefers to rent a house in Albert Park rather than stay at a hotel. This allows he and Ann to entertain friends at home with informal barbecues instead of dining in restaurants in the glare of the media.

Sources:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/mark-webber-cruises-to-grand-prix-win-chelsea-wins-epl-title/story-e6frep5o-1225864312605

http://www.markwebber.com/my-story/past-results/2009-results/

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