Five-times 500cc world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan says fellow Australian Mark Webber is the perfect inspiration for budding young racing drivers.
Doohan describes Webber as a ‘great, hard-working Australian’ who could not have done more for his sport or country on the world stage through his 26-year career.
A nine-times F1 winner and the 2015 World Endurance Champion, Webber will hang up his helmet after driving for Porsche in the final WEC round at Bahrain this weekend.
The 40-year-old has called time on his competitive career, but will remain involved with Porsche through an ambassadorial role.
Doohan is in Bahrain this week for the world junior karting championships with 145 aspiring young drivers from around the globe, including his son Jack and fellow Australian Oscar Piastri.
“Mark’s commitment and dedication really has been second to none,” Doohan told Speedcafe.com.
“He knocked on doors, got on the front foot and presented himself.
“There is so much that any young driver wanting to make it in this sport could learn from Mark Webber and the way he has gone about his business.
“It is not just about the driving. You need to back it up out of the car and Mark really is the full package.
“He always had confidence, but his head wasn’t stuck up his ‘you know what’.
“The way that he has held himself, driven and performed in and out of the car is an enormous credit to him and something that should be used as the example for any young competitor.”
Doohan said it was unfortunate that Webber had not joined Sir Jack Brabham (1959, 1960 and 1966) and Alan Jones (1980) as an F1 World Champion.
“Mark’s a bloody hard working, great Australian driver,” said Doohan.
“It is a shame that he never was crowned Formula 1 world champion, but that was a case of bad luck rather than bad management.
“I think Australia has been the beneficiary of everything he has done and achieved.”
Doohan had some contact with Webber during his early Formula Ford days, but their friendship developed during Webber’s first sportscar foray with Mercedes-Benz in the late 1990s.
“Without doubt he still has plenty left in him,” said Doohan
“He is 40 years old and he can obviously still drive.
“I have not sat down and talked to him about it (retirement), but obviously he feels it is the right time to move on.
“My thoughts are that he has had a long, long career and he probably does not feel he wants to give it everything he feels he has to.
“There are plenty of others older than him driving competitively.
“I think his mental space has encouraged him to hang up his helmet and try another path on the other side of his life.
“That’s not to say he might not turn up here or there with his helmet in the future.”
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