Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber believes he will have recovered from his broken leg in time to start testing with his Red Bull team in February.

The 32-year-old fractured his right leg after being hit head-on by a car while cycling in a multi-sport charity event in Tasmania last week and underwent surgery.

“I'm aiming to drive the car at the first test,” Webber told the BBC yesterday.

“Whether that's possible, I don't know, but if I have to wait another week or 10 days for the sake of the whole season, then I will.”

Red Bull's new car is set to make its first on-track appearance on February 10 – nearly seven weeks before the start of the 2009 season in Melbourne at the end of March.

“I will make sure I'm in the best shape I can be for the first race,” said Webber.

“Both (lower leg) bones are broken but the compound fracture was of the tibia and the bone was exposed. That complicates things a bit more but I am just learning to get up and about on crutches now.

“At the moment there is pressure and swelling whenever I stand up. There is talk it will be like that for the next two or three weeks and come the first week of February we should be on target for me to be able to walk unaided.

“In terms of me driving the car, it is impossible for me to say how I will feel when the car comes out for the first time.

“We'll look at how much driving I'll do early on. If I have three decent tests going into Melbourne then I am totally focused on not letting the team down in final qualifying and on Sunday in Melbourne.”

AFP

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