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'MY mate mark' by Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley

Mark Webber's teammates Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley have paid glowing tributes to their colleague and friend Mark Webber, who announced in Fuji last week his retirement from racing at the end of the current season.

The pair, who have competed in every race since Porsche returned to the highest echelon of endurance racing in 2014, will compete together with the great Australian for the final time at Bahrain next month.

"When Mark started to talk and tell us in the garage at Fuji it was very emotional, there were shivers," said Bernhard. "He is a die-hard racer and probably he is the kind of driver who is the last of his era in many ways. He came up with talent and hard work and of course his famous racing spirit."

"When I was a Porsche Junior driver we met way back in 2000," recalls Bernhard. "He was in F3000 and we shared an engineering friend who worked with him at Mercedes and then with me afterwards at Porsche. When he got to Formula One I could see he was a good guy who was a hard worker. Then when I got to work with him I could see he really lived for motorsport. We have the same mind-set and I am proud to call him a great friend. We will all miss him so much in the car but the good news is he will still be around kicking the tyres!"

Brendon Hartley, who has grown immeasurably as a top endurance racer since partnering with Webber at the end of 2014, talked of his inkling that his great friend was thinking about stopping.

"It was quite emotional when he told us," said Hartley. "I think Mark has tried to tell me in a way over the last few months, I had a few suspicions at times and I had a feeling but I hoped he might change his mind. I've learned a lot from him and I enjoy his company as a teammate. Timo, myself and Mark have a really dynamic partnership and the last three seasons have been great and it was a really sad day when we realised it was going to come to an end. All I can do is wish him all the best and thank him for all the effort he has put in here at Porsche, especially the help he has given me."

The journey that Webber, Hartley and Bernhard have travelled is one that the New Zealander cherishes.

"We've all become really close friends and that will continue of course," continued Hartley. "We have been through a lot together. That first year at Le Mans (2014) when we had that heartbreak and then then the success of winning the championship last year there have been a lot of great memories, so I consider him a real true friend."

Zdroj: fiawec.com