Formula One news

'He could be the next Mansell' - Horner on Webber

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has explained how Mark Webber's overdue victory in the German Grand Prix could spur the Australian on to a series of dominant performances in the same way Nigel Mansell's first win did in the mid-1980s. The Australian won for the first time in Sunday's Grand Prix.

First seen in F1 driving for Minardi and scoring two points in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix of 2002, Mark Webber has waited for seven and a half seasons to achieve his first F1 victory, travelling via Jaguar and Williams on his journey to Red Bull Racing. After finishing on the podium at six other races, a first pole was followed by a first win for the Queanbeyan-born man as victory finally came on his 130th Grand Prix start.

Horner's team has won a third of the races so far this year

"He could be the next Nigel Mansell," said his team boss. "I remember when he got his first win - his career took off and it had taken him a long time to get there." Mansell didn't wait quite as long as Webber, with his first win coming during his sixth season in 1985. After that, however, was an immediate championship challenge the following year.

"I hope wins are like muscles," Webber joked after the race, having recovered from a broken leg and shoulder after a November cycling accident. "When you get one, you get a few more! I have done a few Grands Prix now but I think this is the first year I have really had the chance to win any. What is really important to me is that it wasn't handed to me - I had to work for it."

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