Webber favourite for Williams
Williams technical director Sam Michael has confirmed that Mark Webber is the team's first choice to replace Juan Pablo Montoya next season. The Colombian is off to McLaren and it may be that Williams will have two vacancies -- Ralf Schumacher is ...
Williams technical director Sam Michael has confirmed that Mark Webber is the team's first choice to replace Juan Pablo Montoya next season. The Colombian is off to McLaren and it may be that Williams will have two vacancies -- Ralf Schumacher is still dithering. Schumacher is widely presumed to be heading for Toyota but there has been no official confirmation.
Either way, Webber is the top of Williams' wish list. Asked if the Australian is the favourite, Michael said: "Yes. He has the right mentality, he has an aggressive attitude in a positive sense and he seems like a good team player."
"He has been successful and very fast in any car he has ever driven -- sportscars, Formula Fords and Formula One -- he has definitely the majority of the time, with the exception of today, out-performed his teammates so he looks like a positive step."
However, there is the matter of Webber's contract with Jaguar to be negotiated. "It is obviously confidential but he is on the list and what his personal situation is with his contract is something that remains to be seen," Michael added.
Webber is contracted to Jaguar through 2005 but it is thought that he has a performance related clause -- reportedly the team needs to be sixth in the constructors' standings to be able to hold on to him. Currently, Jaguar is eighth.
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