Ex-champ urges Webber to join Ferrari

SYDNEY, May 29, 2012 (AFP) - Former Formula One world champion Alan Jones Tuesday urged Australian compatriot Mark Webber to leave Red Bull and join Ferrari, saying it would inject a "breath of fresh air" into his career.

Speculation has linked Webber to a Ferrari seat alongside two-time world champion Fernando Alonso at regular intervals over the last few seasons and Jones said it was something every Formula One driver craved.

"Mark has already done one of the two things that most Formula One drivers would like to do, and that's win Monaco -- the other one is to drive for Ferrari," he said in a podcast on the Australian Grand Prix website.

"I'm sure he'd have a look at it," added Jones, the last Australian to win the world title, in 1980 with Williams.

Webber thrust himself into contention for this season's world title with the eighth victory of his career on Sunday, at Monaco.

It was his second win in the race and the eighth of his career with Webber starting from pole position and controlling the race almost throughout.

Jones said a move to Ferrari would be the icing on the cake of the 35-year-old's career.

"If he goes to Ferrari, it could be a breath of fresh air," he said.

"It's very prestigious and something really good to have on your CV. He gets on extremely well with Alonso, so maybe that could be a good way for him to go.

"Personally, I think that Mark is with a good team (but) having said that, if he signed on with Red Bull next year he's still going to have Vettel as his teammate, which is a pretty hard task."

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner played down any Ferrari talk after Webber's Monaco triumph.

"Why would he want to leave?" he asked.

"He is comfortable in the team. The team know Mark very well and he knows the team very well."