Ex-Formula 1 driver and 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship title-winner Mark Webber has been named the grand marshal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
Webber, 40, retired from racing at the end of the 2016 season after spending three years in the WEC with Porsche, claiming the drivers’ title the previous year alongside Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley.
The Australian failed to win Le Mans in any of his five attempts, but will return to the Circuit de la Sarthe in June to preside over the race as its grand marshal.
Mark Webber @AussieGrit as the 2017 @24hoursoflemans Grand Marshal will wave 🇫🇷 flag for the start of this year's #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/3OzTWZV9P8
— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) February 2, 2017
Webber sent a video message to fans tuning in to the press conference that confirmed the entry lists for both the 2017 WEC season and Le Mans.
@AussieGrit: Grand Marshal of the 2017 @24hoursoflemans! #Endurance2017 pic.twitter.com/RgQqLDsECM
— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) February 2, 2017
In recent years the duty of grand marshal has been carried out by the likes of Alexander Wurz (2016), nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (2015) and Allan McNish (2014), putting Webber in good company.