Webber forecast his win

Forecasting a win was a big call for a bloke who does not like to pump-up his own tyres, but Webber was always confident that the Red Bull RB5 was a winning car. And now he's down it. In absolutely dominant style.

Webber's win in the German Grand Prix reminded me a lot of Michael Schumacher, his F1 role model, as he qualified on pole position, biffed Rubens Barrichello on the run to the first corner, then recovered from a Stewards penalty to outdrive his rivals with speed, skill and commitment. It was typical of the drive and talent which has taken Webber to the top of global motorsport, and the wild ride from Formula Ford in Australia to the top step of the podium.

I've been a Webber fan for many years, and have many great memories of time with the bloke - like hot lapping at Calder Park in a Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR sports prototype - and there are plenty of others. But in this memorable week for Webber-mania it's worth mentioning a few, and talking about their commitment.

Firstly, there is Ann Neal. She is Webber's long-term partner and has been the powerhouse for the whole project. The impact of his first win hit me on Sunday night when Ann, who always stays in the background, stood with his helmet below the podium. Ann had to be forced to go by David Coulthard, but admits it was something she had to do.

Alan Webber needed no pushing to stand in the cheering crowd, and his wet eyes reflected his emotion. But I can remember many, many other times when Webber Snr has been there for his son, even watching him mow the lawn at their house in Britain. And he's a real motorsport enthusiast, too, who can tell you which of the young Aussies are worth watching.

Geoff 'Joffa' Donohue first met Webber when he was working for one of his sponsors, Yellow Pages, and now he is part of the team and the man behind the Tasmanian sporting challenge. He is a ripper bloke who has done everything he can to help his hero make it to the top.

And then there is motorsport publisher, Chris Lambden. He was one of the earliest sign-ups for the Webber train and has sacrificed many years of F1 tipping chances by pushing his man. When Webber drove an F1 car for the first time he paid his own way to be there, and that's a massive commitment. There are countless others who are part of the Webber team and it's great that all of us were able to celebrate this week.

But as Mark would say, Germany is done and it's time to move on to the next success.