Porsche ambassador drove the new 911 GT3 RS around Europe for a weekend. Sounds like a victory to us.
Australian racer Mark Webber knows what it’s like to win. He’s competed in Le Mans, Formula One, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Just being able to race in those series for teams such as Red Bull, Mercedes AMG, and Porsche is a victory in and of itself. Webber didn’t stop there, though.
According to Webber’s website, “Throughout his 12 years in F1, Mark notched up 215 races, nine victories – most notably becoming a double winner of both the prestigious Monaco and British Grands Prix – and accumulated an impressive tally of 42 podium finishes, 13 pole positions and 19 fastest laps. He also helped Red Bull Racing to four consecutive Constructors’ World Championships.”
In 2014, Webber went on to drive for Porsche in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP1 class. Behind the wheel of the 919 Hybrid, Webber and his teammates Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard racked up 14 podium finishes, eight wins, and two World Manufacturers Titles. They went on to become World Drivers’ Champions in 2015. At the end of the 2016 season, Webber hung up his racing suit and helmet, and became a retiree.
Kind of. Don’t look for him at an early bird special or golf course any time soon.
Webber’s a brand ambassador for Porsche. In the video above, he gives us a quick tour of the ultimate naturally aspirated 911, the 520-horsepower GT3 RS. He won’t be using its retuned rear axle steering to get around a challenging course or its specially calibrated PDK to set lap times. No sponsors to keep happy. No strategy to execute. No rivals to defeat. Just 1,200+ miles of weekend driving through Europe. It may not be a competition for Webber, but he’s clearly already won. Again.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
