Formula 1
Jaguar not letting Webber go early
Since Ralf Schumacher injured his back at Indianapolis, the rumour mill has been speculating that Williams would try and secure Mark Webber's services to replace Schumacher for the remaining races of 2004. Jaguar managing director David Pitchforth ...
Published: Jul 17, 2004, 3:00 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Since Ralf Schumacher injured his back at Indianapolis, the rumour mill has been speculating that Williams would try and secure Mark Webber's services to replace Schumacher for the remaining races of 2004. Jaguar managing director David Pitchforth has squashed that idea and also hopes to entice Webber to stay with the team rather than defect to Williams for 2005, as many think the Australian will do.
Mark Webber.
Photo by Brousseau Photo.
"Basically, Mark is not going to leave before the end of the season," Pitchforth told Reuters. As far as he's concerned, Jaguar does not need additional funds this season so Williams attempting a buyout of Webber is not going to happen.
"There is not enough money that would make me release Mark before the end of the season," Pitchforth stated. "I've got more than enough money this year to run the team well...I don't need more funds this year. There's no reason why I would enter into any agreement."
The rumours surrounding Webber and Williams have been going strong for some time but Pitchforth has not given up on trying to persuade Webber to stay with Jaguar. The Leaping Cat hasn't leapt very far in the performance stakes this season and there seems little reason for Webber to stay. Pitchforth knows he will have to work hard to convince Mark.
"I haven't done my sales pitch to Mark Webber yet," he said. "I need to get it all in place first...but I need to do that and make it to him before he's been wooed and made any decision to go anywhere else. To get Mark Webber to stay now I have to present him with a case that shows him we've got the funding and the plans to take the team forward."
Webber has a performance clause in his contract that Jaguar has to be in the top six teams by mid-summer -- Hungary, according to Webber himself -- for it to be able to force him to stay. Jaguar is currently ninth, behind the similarly Cosworth powered Jordan team.
"If the team is not performing at the right level, he (Webber) can look to moving on," said Pitchforth. "If we had been higher up in the championship, I'd have been in a position where I could have made him stay. But we're not in that position."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Da Matta looks ahead to Hockenheim
Next article FIA details measures for reduced performance
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Mark Webber
Oscar Piastri shares how relationship with Mark Webber has evolved since F1 debut
Formula 1
Formula 1
Miami GP
Oscar Piastri shares how relationship with Mark Webber has evolved since F1 debut
Mark Webber’s Oscar Piastri role change was inevitable, says David Coulthard
Formula 1
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Mark Webber’s Oscar Piastri role change was inevitable, says David Coulthard
What F1 history tells us about three-way title deciders
Formula 1
Formula 1
Abu Dhabi GP
What F1 history tells us about three-way title deciders
More from
Williams
Franco Colapinto, George Russell to sit out FP1 at F1 Mexico GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Franco Colapinto, George Russell to sit out FP1 at F1 Mexico GP
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Latest news
Kyle Larson, Cliff Daniels and the Hendrick 5 are who we say they are
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
1 min
Kyle Larson, Cliff Daniels and the Hendrick 5 are who we say they are
Final NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Homestead finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
4 h
Final NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Homestead finale
Official race results: NASCAR Cup Homestead season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
4 h
Official race results: NASCAR Cup Homestead season finale
Ryan Blaney wins Homestead NASCAR Cup finale as Kyle Larson claims 2026 title
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
4 h
Ryan Blaney wins Homestead NASCAR Cup finale as Kyle Larson claims 2026 title
Feature
Discover prime content
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Formula 1
By Pat Symonds
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe