For immediate release                                                                                                July 1, 2000

Although it failed to produce the desired championship points, Mark Webber delivered one of the best performances of his career when he stormed back after a puncture and subsequent pit stop, to post a series of fastest laps and finish 16th in round six of the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship at Magny Cours, France on Saturday, July 1. 

The Eurobet Arrows team driver had qualified seventh fastest for the 49 lap race, 4/10ths of a second off the pole time set by Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais who races for the locally-based Prost junior team. Webber perfected a new starting technique which saw him rocket into fifth off the start, passing both Mario Haberfeld and Fernando Alonso. However, behind the leading bunch, a collision between some of the mid-field runners at the Adelaide hairpin necessitated the Safety Car on lap two and it was during this period that Webber's car picked up some debris (probably carbon fibre) from the accident which punctured his right rear tyre and forced him to pit for a replacement tyre on lap seven. 

Webber returned to the race 32 seconds adrift of the last running car of Ananda Mikola but scythed his way back into the race, setting three fastest laps, the best being a 1min 30.105s on lap 21, as he reeled in the pack and caught the tail-enders with 15 laps to go. 

The charging Aussie picked off several cars during the closing stages and on the last lap caught and passed Kevin McGarrity for 15th position at the Adelaide hairpin.  Webber's next target was Fabrizio Gollin who he got alongside at the next hairpin. However, Webber had a bad run out of the corner which allowed McGarrity to repass for 15th. Webber finished the race just four seconds behind championship leader Bruno Junqueira who spun early on but was unable to make any impression during the race and finished 13th. 

"Unfortunately the puncture lost us the podium today," said a disappointed Webber who continues to hold third place in the series, albeit by a slender two points. "I'm unhappy with the result today but very happy with the performance. Take away the pit stop, we actually did the race eight seconds faster than anyone else! The improvements we made to the car overnight were very effective and I think we would have murdered them today if it hadn't been for the puncture."

 The seventh round of the championship takes place in two weeks time on July 15 at

Austria's A1-Ring.

Points after round six

1. B. Junqueira    (BR)     38 pts
2. N. Minassian   (F)       28 
3. M. Webber      (AUS)  14
4. D. Saelens     (B)       12
5. S. Bourdais    (F)        9
6. F. Gollin         (I)         7

                                                                        - Ends -

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