Webber & Stoddart Await for Home Support

Mark Webber, who will make his Formula One debut with Minardi in Melbourne on March 3rd, will be Australia's first Formula One driver since 1994.

Minardi's Australian-born team owner Paul Stoddart announced the deal on Monday, saying the 25-year-old had a one-year contract with an option for a further season and that he would bring new sponsorship money to the team.

Following the announcement, Australian Grand Prix chairman Ron Walker - who was present in a London television studio - said: "Look out the rest of them, here comes an Aussie at last. Everyone's been waiting for a young Australian to get on the grid and Mark, by his own diligence over the years, has certainly earned his spurs."

Webber himself acknowledged the nationality part of the deal, but said this is an overdue dream come true.

"It's phenomenal for Paul to give me this opportunity," declared Webber, who will also be the first Australian since Tim Schenken in 1971 to drive for an Australian-owned team. "To start in Melbourne (the Australian Grand Prix) is going to be totally unbelievable. It's gradually sinking in, it certainly gets the old butterflies in the stomach going."

"I'm long overdue for Formula One, I'm ready for it," added Webber. "I'm absolutely fit and ready like you wouldn't believe. I'm pumped up for it. To be in Australia, racing in an F1 car and to have the Australian fans cheering is, for sure, very special."

Webber raced in Formula 3000 last season and was the Benetton, now Renault, test driver before being replaced for this year by Spaniard Fernando Alonso - the youngster he in turn replaces at Minardi.

Webber is also managed by Renault boss Flavio Briatore and raced in sportscars in the past for Mercedes - with whom he had a terrifying Le Mans experience when his car twice flipped at speed in practice.

"I can't say there wasn't a time when I thought it wasn't going to happen," said Webber looking back on his career. "I've had a tremendous lot of support along the way."

The Australian tested for four days with Minardi this month in Spain and Italy and Stoddart said the impression he made was an important factor in his choice of partner for Malaysian driver Alex Yoong. Stoddart first hired Webber for his Formula 3000 team in 2000 after they were introduced by Eddie Jordan.

"We said that we wanted to move off the bottom of the grid and I think that with Mark and Alex Yoong we're probably going to do that," said Stoddart. "There's no doubt that he's got the talent. He's also a thinking driver and you really need that in Formula One these days."

"The recent tests with him in the last couple of weeks were seriously good," added the team principal, who appealed for Australian firms to rally behind him now.

"We've done our bit, we've got an Australian team and an Australian driver," he said, adding that Webber's sponsors would be confirmed shortly. Australia has not had a Formula One driver since David Brabham, youngest son of triple champion Jack Brabham, left the now defunct Simtek team in 1994.

The last race-winning driver from the country was Alan Jones, who won the World Championship with Williams in 1980 and retired in 1986.