NUERBURGRING, Germany – Mark Webber won his first Formula One race on Sunday after overcoming a penalty to take the German Grand Prix and give his Red Bull team real momentum in its bid to catch Jenson Button in the drivers’ championship.
The Australian beat teammate Sebastian Vettel by 9.2 seconds despite a drive-through penalty for bumping Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello out of the start while defending his pole position.
Webber’s euphoric screams were heard over the team radio after he crossed the finish line in his 132nd race.
“It’s an incredible day for me. I wanted to win so badly,” said Webber, the first Australian driver to secure victory since Alan Jones at Las Vegas 28 years ago. “It was very, very important for me to win because there are not many Australian drivers who have reached Formula One and few have been successful.”
Felipe Massa gave Ferrari its first podium finish of the season by coming third ahead of Nico Rosberg of Williams.
F1 leader Button of Brawn GP finished fifth to take his overall total to 68 points, while Vettel moved into second with 47 points and Webber is third with 45.5 points. Barrichello has 44 points after finishing sixth.
“We’re not giving up, Sebastian and I are on top of our game and pushing as hard as we can to be up at all the venues,” Webber said. “Red Bull taking the fight to these big guys is special.”
A fuel rig problem cost Barrichello an extra pit stop and that also slowed Button’s race. The Brazilian was angry after another team mistake cost him big points in the title fight.
“They made me lose the race. To be very honest, I wish I could get on the plane and go home,” Barrichello said. “I don’t want to talk to anyone in the team. It will be all ‘blah, blah, blah’ and I don’t want to hear that.” (AP)