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Alonso and Button back Webber move

Mark Webber's move is set to leave Jenson Button as the oldest driver on the grid next season © Getty Images

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• News:
• Webber to leave Formula One for Porsche
  

• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Jenson Button
• |
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• Ferrari
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• McLaren
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• Red Bull

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have backed Mark Webber's decision to leave Formula One for the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the end of the year.

It was announced by Porsche on Thursday morning that Webber would be leaving Red Bull in Formula One to join its new LMP1 team for next year's WEC including Le Mans. With Alonso and Button each having raced with Webber for over ten years in F1, they were asked for their thoughts and Alonso said he believes Webber will find more enjoyment in sports cars.

"I think it's a good time for him, a good opportunity," Alonso said. "He's moving to a very prestigious car brand and probably the most famous race in the world together with Formula One. I think he'll have a lot of fun behind the wheel - as he is doing now - with probably a few less problems outside the cockpit than we have now in Formula One. We enjoy 19 Sundays a year and the rest of the time is a little bit of a stressful time, but with the new series I think he will have a little bit more fun and I wish him the best of luck for the rest of the championship and the future."

Button added that he could see Webber was ready to leave F1 and said it was "obviously the right time" to make the switch.

"It's not really a surprise," Button said. "Mark's career has been a little bit similar to mine in a way in terms of struggling in the first few years to find a seat and a drive that you think you deserve and then being with a team that can give you victories. It's obviously the right time, so fair play to you."

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