Berger calls Webber’s maneuver on Alonso stupid
Praised from all sides for his overtake on Fernando Alonso at Eau Rouge in Spa, Mark Webber nevertheless remains the subject of criticism. Gerhard Berger, questioned on the matter, was particularly harsh towards the Australian, deeming the maneuver "stupid" and "unnecessary."
In a less spectacular second part of the Grand Prix after the safety car’s appearance, Mark Webber’s overtaking of Fernando Alonso appeared like a ray of sunshine in the Ardennes sky. The Australian attempted and succeeded in passing the Ferrari driver in the Raidillon de l’Eau Rouge, a turn that is both fast and dangerous, where a collision could have had unfortunate consequences.
After the race, Webber stated: « Approaching the straight I thought “I have good momentum, I am faster, it might be tight at the bottom, but I’m going for it.” Once at the bottom, I went for it ». The two drivers remained side by side for a few tenths of a second: « He had no choice. One of us had to back off, I was on a better trajectory ». The Red Bull driver asserted: « My attitude would have been different if it had been someone else […] Fernando knows when it’s fair. There are a few guys on the grid with whom you can enjoy something like that. You can really push each other to the limit ».
This gesture was praised by several experts in the field, including Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull Racing (« I have to say… this guy must have b… to do that »), David Coulthard, and Martin Brundle, who stated on the BBC that « this overtaking was spectacularly impressive, skillful, and brave […] Although Webber hasn’t won a race in a year, he has earned my eternal respect for this maneuver ».
A feeling not shared by Gerhard Berger, more concerned about the safety and risks taken by Webber: “Mark is receiving a lot of praise, but I think it was stupid.” The former Austrian driver notably recalls the 1000 km of Spa in 1985, during which, in a similar maneuver and at the same location, Stefan Bellof and Jacky Ickx collided. The terrible accident that followed saw the German driver lose his life and Ickx emerge unscathed. Berger, deeply affected by this fatal crash, does not hesitate to refer to it: “If you think about Bellof’s accident… Webber could have passed on the next straight. It was totally unnecessary, at one of the most dangerous places on the circuit. If you go off there, you’re dead.”
