Webber takes the long way home

Posted on 01/05/2010

Mark Webber found his way home after a 44-hour trip © Getty Images

Mark Webber has been telling the BBC about his nightmare trip back to the UK after the Shanghai grand prix weekend.

While many others were marooned in China or took enforced holiday outside Europe after the Icelandic volcano erupted, Webber just packed his bags and headed home. “I flew to Dubai, then to Rome, then drove to a different airport in Rome, then a private plane to Nice, then a private plane to Glasgow and a helicopter to my house.” In all it took him 44 hours.

To add to his problems, he lost his passport. “I haven't found it,” he admitted. “I only had to get through one border control on the way back from China, and that was in Glasgow. I certainly did have to fill in a bit more documentation up there. But thank God a bit of common sense did prevail. I certainly got punished for losing it in terms of headaches, but they let me in, which was nice of them.”

He might not find the notorious UK Border Agency or the Spanish authorities quite so accommodating if he tries to head to Spain without documentation, although he admitted on his Twitter page to having a second passport.