It has been a long haul for Mark Webber to reach and then establish himself on the highest platform in motor sport, but after more than a century of Grand Prix starts with four different teams, the perennially unlucky Australian seems to be in danger of missing out on absolute success as fresher talents eagerly snap the most desirable positions in the front running teams.

Being born in the country outside Canberra, Webber's first attraction was to motorbikes – a hobby helped by his father's position as the local dealer – before he turned his attention to four wheels with a spell in karting. It wasn't for a few years, however, that the bug began to strike. Then, having won the state kart title, he moved immediately into Formula Ford taking fourth overall in a strong category in Australia, before taking the big step to Europe

Having proved good enough to be offered a works Van Diemen for the annual Formula Ford Festival in1995, he was then retained by the manufacturer to spearhead its challenge for the full 1996 championship. The likes of Kristian Kolby and Darren Malkin provided stiff opposition in the regular season, but Webber, second overall in the championship, came out a winner on his return to the Festival event, taking the title in front of a competitive field. He then returned to Australia for a brief crack at Formula Holden before flying back to Britain for the following season

Skipping Formula Renault, the Australian teamed up with compatriot Alan Docking in Formula Three, but without the Duckhams backing that the Van Diemen team had enjoyed, the year proved to be a financial struggle. Webber soldiered on however, letting his driving do the talking, and eventually winning a round of the series at Brands Hatch before going on to take fourth overall. He recorded a similar result in the end-of-year Macau Grand Prix

His performances had not gone unnoticed, and Webber was approached by Mercedes-Benz to join its band of young guns in the 1998 FIA GT Sportscar Championship. Not having to provide sponsorship to land the seat, Webber agreed, and was paired with Germany's Bernd Schneider in the CLK GT machine. The first season passed off without incident - and included five race wins, but returning to Mercedes fold for 1999 almost proved Webber's undoing as he endured two harrowing moments during the build-up to the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race. The car aerodynamics caused it to flip on the flat-out Mulsanne Straight. He decided there and then that sports car was not where his immediate future lay.

By this stage, however, he had already picked up the occasional test outing with the Arrows team in Formula One and attracted the backing of wealthy Australian ex-pat Paul Stoddart, who was looking to break into motor sport on the back of his lucrative airline parts business. The pair hit it off immediately, with Webber becoming a key part of Stoddart's fledgling FIA F3000 team for 2000. Despite the general inexperience, Webber managed to finish third overall that year, winning at Silverstone, but losing out to Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian in the final standings.

His performance was enough for him to be snapped up by the crack Super Nova team for 2001, although all of David Sears' previous championship-winning form could not prevent Mark being beaten to the title by Justin Wilson, despite wins at Imola and Magny-Cours. His Formula One experience had also grown by season's end, having been snapped up by Flavio Briatore and the Benetton team to add to its testing strength, and his performances there made him an obvious target for Stoddart who, by now, had taken charge of the Minardi team for 2002.

The pair made an emotional debut together in Melbourne, with Webber – the first Australian in F1 since David Brabham in 1994 – benefiting from a mass pile-up at the start to bring his car home in fifth place, scoring rare points for Minardi and joining an elite band of drivers to have scored on their F1 debut. There was never any chance of repeating the result, eighth in France being the closest Webber got, but his abilities had been noticed by other team owners further up the pit-lane.

With Eddie Irvine announcing his retirement from the sport, for 2003 Mark signed up by the Jaguar Racing team, partnered initially by rising Brazilian star Antonio Pizzonia who had made his mark in testing with Williams-BMW. Despite a largely frustrating season, the revised scoring system allowed Webber to rack up 17 points for tenth in the championship – and a reputation for seeing off talented team-mates as Pizzonia was replaced mid-season by former F3000 rival Wilson, who fared little better against the incumbent Australian.

Webber continued with Jaguar in 2004, now ranged against unproven rookie Christian Klien. Again, the campaign proved to be a frustrating one as, despite the might of Ford being behind the team, the Blue Oval's budget was being strangled. Webber only managed seven points all year, good enough for 13th overall, but his fighting displays – and a front row start in Malaysia – were sufficient to mark him out to a team used to tough Aussie battlers. With the future of Jaguar Racing uncertain beyond the end of the season, Webber gratefully accepted an offer to join Williams, who had previously taken another bluff Australian, Alan Jones, to the world title in 1980.

The team saw Webber's no-nonsense approach to F1 as being in the same mould, he and made an intriguing pairing with the quietly spoken Nick Heidfeld. It was to be a frustrating first season at Williams for Mark, who in spite of some excellent qualifying performances, and a first podium at Monaco, he saw the performance of his car slipping further behind that of his competitors. The loss of BMW engines was another hammer blow to the team’s standing, but with Webber under contract, he was obliged to stick with the team for 2006 and try to get the best of a car running a Cosworth engine package.

In the event a tawdry tally of seven points were accrued as catalogue of retirements blighted his year. Most notably, a possible third place at Monaco was lost when the exhaust problem affected the car’s wiring loom, but was a dispiriting year for the beleaguered team. After two seasons and little tangible success, it was hardly surprising that Webber decided to seek pastures new, and he jumped at the opportunity to join David Coulthard at the better funded – if still unproven – Red Bull Racing for 2007.

It was to be a very mixed season for Webber with his car was beset by numerous technical maladies that restricted his chances of points scoring finishes. He did however use his wet-weather prowess to grab a podium place in the European Grand Prix. In another rain-affected race in Japan, Mark seemed set for a career-best second place until he was inadvertently rammed from behind by Sebastian Vettel whilst under safety car rules.

For 2008 Mark has the prospect of potentially competitive car in the Adrian Newey designed RB4, as proven in Malaysia by his feisty performance in both qualification and the race. Perhaps though, victories still seem out of reach for the oft-unlucky Webber driving for a team of whom there are still more questions than answers.