Webber Plans Aggressive Approach for Melbourne

Australia's Mark Webber said on Sunday he would take his usual aggressive approach into the Australian Grand Prix on March 3rd, which will be his Formula One debut.

The 25-year-old Minardi driver arrived in Melbourne predicting the relatively low-budget team, owned by Australian-born businessman Paul Stoddart, could qualify as high as 17th on the 22-man grid in the season-opening race.

"Normally I'm fairly aggressive in the way I go about things so hopefully it will work for me," Webber said on Sunday. "Paul's got me in Formula One because he thinks I can do a reasonable job but obviously I want to get the car to the finish, that's the main goal."

Webber, the first Australian to race in Formula One since 1994, said he and co-driver, Malaysian Alex Yoong, were not sure where they stood against rival teams after testing.

"There's a lot of foxing going on in Europe so we find out really in Melbourne where we're at," Webber said. "We did a race test at Barcelona which we were very encouraged by."

Minardi unveiled their new-look Formula One car for the 2002 season in Malaysia on Friday.

Stoddart, who bought the struggling Minardi team last season, said Minardi hoped to get into the top 10 constructors this year.