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Forget Vettel, back me

Webber: Forget Vettel, back me

08/29/2010 08:00:31 PM

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Mark Webber believes the time is drawing near when Red Bull Racing will soon put all their eggs into his basket.

Webber was forced to settle for runner-up in Monday morning's Belgian Grand Prix behind Lewis Hamilton, resulting in the duo trading places at the top of the championship standings.

Hamilton is now three points clear of Webber, with the McLaren and Red Bull stars comfortably ahead of rivals Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso who all failed to score at Spa.

For Webber's team-mate Vettel it was another wretched afternoon as he first crashed into Button, forcing the Briton into retirement and incurring a drive-through penalty.

To rub salt into his wounds, the 23-year-old collected a puncture after running over the front wing of Vitantonio Liuzzi's Force India, eventually trundling home 15th.

With Webber 28 points ahead of Vettel, he feels if the team - who he has previously suggested were favouring the German - are to be successful this season, their support for him is looming.

"McLaren have won many championships, so they have a pretty good trophy cabinet," said Webber.

"Red Bull have a good trophy cabinet, but not one like McLaren, so it depends on how hungry we are to try and do that."

"Having said that, maybe there is a different strategy compared to McLaren."

"I'm not sure, but it's still too early (to be favoured) at the moment, but not far away I would say."

As you would expect, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested otherwise as he said: "There are 150 points still available."

"The front two guys (Hamilton and Webber) have broken away a little from the rest of the pack, with the other three title protagonists not scoring."

"I still think it's too early to be contemplating that (favouritism). All five are still in this championship."

"With the way the points scoring is, the gap is quite deceptive because whilst they look quite large, in reality they can be dramatically reduced very quickly."

"So with 150 points still on the board, it's a bit premature to be talking in that manner."

Asked whether he felt Webber would push for favouritism, Horner added: "No, I don't.
"Mark is a sportsman, a realist, and he knows the numbers better than anybody else."

"He is realistic enough to know things can change very quickly, but he is in a great position."

"If we come through Monza (Italian Grand Prix on September 12) then we will be heading to tracks we know will suit our package."

"Clearly Mark is in the form of his career, and based on the season to date he looks in great shape, but it would be a foolish person to rule out Sebastian at the moment."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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