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He will need to be faster than a speeding Ferrari and more powerful than a pair of McLarens to have any chance of lifting the world title- and that's without worrying about the Red Bull family feud with Sebastian Vettel who took pole position.
Basically, Webber must get ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso to have any chance.
He did not help himself when he only qualified fifth for the duel in the desert, but his grid spot for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was not helped by only using one set of qualifying tyres and a surprising lack of speed on the two big straights at the Yas Marina course.
Even so, Webber - arguably the toughest bloke in F1 - is not giving up.
"I did not expect to be fifth, I expected to be further up. But that is what happened," Webber admitted after qualifying.
"Of course I am not rapt with the qualifying today. It was the crucial session that did not come together for us, which is a shame."
But he has not given up his world title hopes, even with Lewis Hamilton promising a go-for-broke run at the front, Alonso sitting tight on a solid series lead, and outgoing world champion Jenson Button pipping him in the final seconds of qualifying.
"The script is impossible to predict tomorrow. Let's have a look at the end, and the world champion - one second after the race they will give it to him, whoever he is.
"It is not handed out yet. So, if it was a one lap race it would maybe be not so good. But it is a two hour race and things can change."
Webber was quick enough to be a serious contender through the three practice sessions at the gorgeous Yas Marina circuit and was clearly baffled when he slipped down the final order.
"It is one of the first times this year I have looked at the pit board and said, 'I really cannot do that time'. Because most of the time I can always react to the pit board with the lap time and get back in the fight, but tonight in the last Q3 I could not do that."
In contrast, Vettel was bouncing like a puppy after claiming his tenth pole position of the season with a Red Bull RB6 that has been the car to beat all season. He is a long shot for the championship but if Alonso has problems and Webber cannot improve then he could become the youngest driver to lift the crown.
"My season has been up and down and we should be in a different position and we are not. Still we are in a strong position," Vettel said.
"We put the car on pole here which is crucial for tomorrow's race. It is long race, a lot of things can happen. We will see."
Hamilton is likely to be very quick, and his McLaren has been strong on the straights all year, but everyone in the field is looking at Alonso as he builds towards his third world title and his first championship at Ferrari.
"I'm confident. I've been confident for the past five months of the championship. Now there is one day to go," Alonso said.
"This year also I feel the team supporting a lot. I feel very happy in the car. It is a great, great year for me."
ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
STARTING GRID
1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull-Renault
2. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren-Mercedes
3. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari
4. Jenson Button, McLaren-Mercedes
5. MARK WEBBER, Red Bull-Renault
6. Felipe Massa, Ferrari
7. Rubens Barrichello, Williams-Cosworth
8. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes-Benz
9. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes-Benz
10. Vitaly Petrov, Renault
11. Robert Kubica, Renault
12. Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber-Ferrari
13. Adrian Sutil, Force India-Ferrari
14. Nick Heidfeld, Sauber-Ferrari
15. Nico Hulkenberg, Williams-Cosworth
16. Tonio Liuzzi, Force India-Ferrari
17. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso-Ferrari
18. Sebastian Buemi, Toro Rosso-Ferrari
19. Jarno Trulli, Lotus-Cosworth
20. Hekki Kovalainen,Lotus-Cosworth
21. Timo Glock, Virgin-Cosworth
22. Lucas di Grassi, Virgin-Cosworth
23. Bruno Senna, Hispania-Cosworth
24. Christian Klien, Hispania-Cosworth
