Ex F1 and sportscar racer Martin Brundle is confident Mark Webber will have no problems adapting to life in the World Endurance Championship.

Webber is set to debut in his first competitive outing since he bowed out of F1 as part of Porsche’s return to LMP1 sportscars in the opening round of the WEC season at Silverstone.

The Australian will compete in all eight rounds of the championship which is highlighted by the time-honoured Le Mans 24 Hour, behind the wheel of the high-tech Porsche 919 Hybrid.

Webber became part of the furniture in grand prix racing for last 12 years and is being strongly tipped to lead Porsche back to success in top level prototype racing.

“Mark is a quick driver so he will certainly have the speed and the fitness needed to race with Porsche,” Brundle told Speedcafe.com

“He has always had a passion for sportscar racing and that is critical. When you go and do that you have got to have the mentality to take it very seriously.

“Mark understands sportscar racing and he won’t view it as the next best thing to F1 because some drivers do that and that is the wrong attitude.”

After undergoing an extensive testing program with Porsche during the off season, Webber is eager to begin the latest chapter of his motorsport career at Silverstone which begins with twin practice sessions tonight (UK time).

Testing has shown that Porsche will head into the championship confident it can challenge the LMP1 powerhouses Audi and the rapidly emerging Toyota.

“The WEC is something that will give me the buzz to keep proving myself and the challenge, and I suppose the discipline to get out and bed and racing,” said Webber.

“For us its going to be a very important race from an operations point of view so we can get into the groove of what it means to get away from the test track and go racing.

Webber returns to the iconic British circuit where he has achieved wins in Formula Ford, Formula 3, Formula 3000 and F1.

“Silverstone is a track that has been very special to me over the years and I love racing there and it is my home race now as I don’t race in Australia any more.”

VIDEO: Webber set for WEC opener

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