Australian Mark Webber, centre of a
furious `team orders` row with his team chiefs during the
British Grand Prix, will re-sign with Red Bull, the stable`s
owner insisted Wednesday.
|Last Updated: Jul 13, 2011, 08:23 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Paris: Australian Mark Webber, centre of a
furious `team orders` row with his team chiefs during the
British Grand Prix, will re-sign with Red Bull, the stable`s
owner insisted Wednesday.
Webber, in a clearly faster car, decided to ignore
instructions from the pit wall that he should not close in on
second-placed Red Bull team-mate and championship leader
Sebastian Vettel.
Vettel, struggling for competitive speed on worn tyres,
came home second behind triumphant Ferrari hero Spaniard
Fernando Alonso, who registered the Italian team`s first win
this season and set up a possible revival in fortunes.
The second placed finish helped defending champion Vettel
increase his runaway lead in the title race to 80 points ahead
of Webber, who is now second - but with little hope of
fighting for the title if Red Bull have chosen to back Vettel
against him.
Webber admitted he was furious and had not obeyed the
orders as he fought to beat his team-mate, and will clearly
need some convincing to stay with the team - 12 months earlier
he had won at Silverstone and famously quipped "not bad for a
number two driver" on his slowing down lap.
But Red Bull boss Dieter Mateschitz told autosport.com on
Wednesday that there were absolutely no doubts that Webber
would stay with the outfit next year.
"Mark Webber will re-sign with us," Mateschitz said.
"This will happen for sure. He is very popular within the
team, he feels very comfortable and it is an excellent
relationship. He knows this and we know it.”
"To be honest, Mark has no better choice than the fastest
car and we have no better choice for a fast driver."
The Red Bull boss also admitted he was fine with Webber
having tried to overtake Vettel despite the order given to
him.
"This is no problem for us," Mateschitz said. "Sebastian
realised that Fernando Alonso was gone and could not be caught
anymore, so he backed down. This let Mark close in. He would
be a very bad racer had he not tried to attack and gain a
position."
Bureau Report
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