Zoom With just 3.5 points between himself and Vettel, Webber can make gains chasing his first win

It has taken a long time and he has been close on numerous occasions, but today Mark Webber completed the task to perfection and as a result will start the German Grand Prix from pole position in his Red Bull Renault.

"Despite the very tricky conditions, it was great for Mark to secure his first Formula One career pole and it puts him in an ideal place to start tomorrow’s race," declared Team Principal Christian Horner.

Webber himself was a little more upbeat about his pole. “It is a very special day for me to get pole,” the Australian veteran declared. “I have been close a few times in the past and also been on pole fuel corrected a few times but that doesn’t count. Today we are here.

“The team have done a great job,” he continued. “We have been quick all weekend. We got really tested, all the teams and drivers, in that session. It was very, very chaotic but to have still delivered the lap time when it actually counted was important to me, so to do the best time was fantastic.”

While Webber admits that his experience counted somewhat for his performance in tricky conditions as light rain fell and abated in the all-important qualifying hour, he was keen to point out that the team need to play their part and did so today.

"Obviously you have got a great team of people around you as well," he said. "They are on the pit wall and making the right calls for you. They have obviously got a lot of experience at looking at what the other cars are going through.

"These are the best drivers in the world, so we know when people are making mistakes that it is obviously for a reason, the wrong tyre, so we have got to stick with the decisions we make and believe in them and then just go out and try and do the best you can as you know everyone is in a little bit of trouble in those conditions, so you just do the best job you can."

Webber has completed what many consider the hard part in securing the pole ahead of the Brawn Mercedes duo of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button. The next step is to convert his first pole into his first race win.

"I think a nice boring Grand Prix for me would be fantastic," he only half joked in the post qualifying press conference as rain is predicted for the Grand Prix. "I am looking forward to a dry day but if it is wet we are ready for all conditions.

"We know we can compete and fight in all those conditions that will be thrown at us. I have had a few seconds this year and now I have got a pole. I think the day will come hopefully and you never know, hopefully it will be tomorrow…"

Earl ALEXANDER
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