Mark Webber, one of the most charismatic and popular drivers in motor racing, will hang up his helmet this weekend.
The ex-Formula One star is gearing up for his final race for Porsche as the World Endurance Championship reaches its climax in Bahrain.
The 40-year-old spent 14 seasons in F1 before switching to the long-distance series in 2014.
Webber admitted to feeling “emotional” at the prospect of leaving a sport that has been part of his life for more than two decades as he discussed his farewell on CNN World Sport.
“I think immediately it’s going to be pretty emotional taking the suit off for the last time — hopefully it will have some champagne on it, which would be good,” Webber told CNN’s Amanda Davies via Skype Friday.
“I’m having a real feeling of things coming to a conclusion — it was a little bit like that with F1 and my last race in Brazil in 2013, where I knew it was the right time.”
Webber won nine races and stood on the podium 42 times in 215 F1 starts, finishing third in the drivers’ championship on three occasions.
He will be remembered as a gutsy driver who was involved in two of F1’s more spectacular moments of recent times.
His thrilling overtaking maneuver on rival and friend Fernando Alonso at Eau Rouge during the 2011 Belgium Grand Prix exemplified his racing spirit.
He was also involved in one of the sport’s most frightening crashes — his Red Bull car taking off and somersaulting after running into the back of Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus at Valencia in 2010. Webber emerged shaken, but, remarkably, unscathed.
After leaving F1, the Australian quickly found success in the World Endurance Championship, winning the 2015 title for Porsche in only his second season, and he is fourth in this year’s championship.
“Since I made my announcement we’ve had quite a bit of success, winning quite a few races with Porsche,” Webber says, pointing to recent victories in the US and China.
“There’s been great, great memories, but I think that’s a good sign because I want to remember it like that. As time goes on, you know it’s totally the right decision.”