Webber expecting hard work

Mark Webber is optimistic for Jaguar's future, despite the recent upheavals, but is expecting some very hard work before thinking about winning titles. The Australian impressed many with his determination at Minardi in 2002 and was snapped up by ex-Jaguar boss Niki Lauda for next season. Lauda was recently ousted from the team but Webber is riding out the storm while Jaguar makes changes.

"It's tough times there, we've had a few changes since I joined last month, and some tough decisions have been taken recently," Webber was quoted by the BBC. "What I can tell you is that there's a great team spirit, we're all hungry and fresh, and hopefully the future for Jaguar will be a successful one."

Mark Webber.

Photo by Jaguar Racing.

"Obviously I have my own ambitions to win the world title, and realistically I've set myself the target of achieving that in 2005 or maybe the following year. But I've only completed one full season, and I've still got a lot of stripes to put on my sleeve in terms of reputation."

Both Webber and team mate Antonio Pizzonia topped the times in testing at Barcelona recently, although it wasn't a smooth ride for either of them at the start of the winter schedule. Webber suffered engine problems that curtailed his track time initially, while Pizzonia wrote off a ?45,000 Jaguar road car then put his race-car head on into a wall. Hopefully the pair of them will make the grid at Australia in March intact.