Mark Webber announces his retirement from professional motor racing

Australian Mark Webber has just announced that he will be ending his professional racing career at the end of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship season. 40-year-old Webber – or Aussie Grit as he's affectionately known amongst his fans – has been a major part of the Porsche factory team's comeback to international prototype endurance racing since reappearing on the grid in 2014. Despite hanging up his helmet Webber will still continue working with the Stuttgart manufacture. Aside from being a Porsche brand ambassador and consultant he will be lending his experience to the marque's various motorsport programmes. Webber's last professional motor race will be at the 2016 6 Hours of Bahrain on 19 November. – Thomas Falkiner