Unlucky number seven - Webber’s first lap at Valencia

Webber’s first lap at Valencia

Mark Webber’s violent accident during the European Grand Prix provided spectacular footage for news agencies all around the world but his dismal start was largely missed by FOM’s cameras. Webber dropped from second to ninth on the first lap and that bad start ultimately resulted in a fight for position with Heikki Kovalainen on lap nine.

Seven drivers slipped ahead of Mark Webber in the space of just seven corners.

Lewis Hamilton.
The grid at Valencia leads immediately into the first sweeping corner, and starting on the dirty outside line of the circuit, Mark Webber was unable to defend his position against Lewis Hamilton. Webber moved right as quickly as he could but the McLaren was much faster off the line and easily claimed second place through turn one.

Fernando Alonso
Alonso followed Hamilton’s line through the fast right-hander pulled alongside Webber on the run towards turn two. Fernando took advantage of the Australian’s caution and was comfortably in front of Mark as they attacked the braking zone.

Felipe Massa
Felipe had lunge up the inside of Webber heading into the second turn where he found the space Mark originally left for Alonso. The two drivers exited the corner side-by-side and Webber backed off to avoid running wide into the concrete barrier. Felipe took the position but had to defend heading into turn four. Mark attacked the Ferrari around the outside of the left-hander in an effort assume the inside line for turn five, but may now wish that he hadn’t.

Jenson Button
Webber looked for a gap up the inside of Massa into turn five but was unsuccessful and found himself out of position exiting of the corner. Button had a much better run onto the straight and Mark moved to defend fifth place. This meant the Red Bull was offline on the dust heading into turn nine (turns six, seven and eight all forming part of the straight), and Jenson was able to brake much later. Button was significantly ahead of Webber before having to turn into the corner.

Robert Kubica
Kubica tucked in behind Webber and Button on the tun towards turn nine and passed both of them with a great manoeuvre down the inside. He outbraked Webber comfortably and had the inside line at the apex ahead of Jenson. Here’s hoping the onboard footage from Webber’s car appears on the end-of-season DVD.

Rubens Barrichello
Barrichello tried to follow Kubica past Webber on the inside of turn nine but Mark firmly closed the door on the Williams. Rubens may have been a little too optimistic and mounted the kerbs before hitting Webber‘s right rear wheel just after the apex. Mark avoided spinning but ran very wide on the exit and had to take evasive action to avoid the barrier that funnels drivers onto the bridge.

Nico Hulkenberg
The second Williams benefited from Webber’s incident with Barrichello and passed the Red Bull going onto the bridge. Hulkenberg became the seventh driver to pass Mark in seven corners, completing his fall from second to ninth.

Little did Mark Webber know at the time that was the least of his worries.

Posted by Martin Porter. - Follow him on twitter @mpondaweb.

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