Showing posts with label Mark Webber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Webber. Show all posts

Monday, 25 March 2013

Wound-up Webber considering his F1 career after controversial Vettel victory in Malaysia


Fresh footage shows fuming Webber cutting up Red Bull team-mate Vettel in dangerous move after Malaysia mayhem


Dramatic new footage has emerged revealing just how serious the feud is between Red Bull team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber after the Australian pulled a shockingly dangerous maneouvre after the Malaysian Grand Prix had finished.
Red Bull are in turmoil today after Vettel ignored their clear instruction not to challenge Webber at the climax of the race, and the German was forced to issue an apology for undermining the order which has left his colleague considering his Formula One future.
VIDEO: Scroll down to watch the astonishing footage
Chequered flag: Sebastian Vettel slows down after crossing the finishing line in Malaysia
Chequered flag: Sebastian Vettel slows down after crossing the finishing line in Malaysia
Who's that coming up? Mark Webber's car zooms into the corner of the camera
Who's that coming up? Mark Webber's car zooms into the corner of the camera
Dangerous: Webber steers into the path of Vettel at a furious pace as the German slows down
Dangerous: Webber steers into the path of Vettel at a furious pace as the German slows down
Best of enemies: Webber then speeds off into the distance leaving Red Bull red-faced
Best of enemies: Webber then speeds off into the distance leaving Red Bull red-faced
New footage reveals just how angry Webber was in the aftermath of the race as he dangerously cuts across Vettel at high speed to display his fury, only missing his team-mates car by a matter of inches.
Former McLaren driver John Watson, a winner of five grands prix, believes Red Bull must take immediate action against their three-time world champion.
‘The question is, what are the team going to do to sanction Sebastian Vettel? And the only solution I would find is suspending him for next grand prix,’ Watson told BBC Radio 4.
Dangerous: Mark Webber (left) swerved in front of Sebastien Vettel to show his anger
Dangerous: Mark Webber (left) swerved in front of Sebastien Vettel to show his anger
Punishment: Sebastian Vettel deserves a one-race ban, claims John Watson
Leading the way: Webber was ahead of Vettel until his team-mate's late surge
Leading the way: Webber was ahead of Vettel until his team-mate's late surge
VIDEO: Watch Webber's dangerous move
Out of options: Watson says a fine would do nothing and removing the points is not viable
Out of options: Watson says a fine would do nothing and removing the points is not viable
‘You can’t take the points away from him and give them to Mark Webber, a fine would be irrelevant, so the only purposeful way to bring him to book is to say “you will stand out one race”.’
‘I know that if other drivers in other teams disobeyed a team order they would be suspended or even fired.’
Red Bull cancelled their victory photo in the aftermath of yesterday’s controversy while it has been reported that Webber needed to be persuaded to participate in the podium ceremony.
Usurped: Mark Webber would have won the race had Vettel not disobeyed team orders
Usurped: Mark Webber would have won the race had Vettel not disobeyed team orders
Watson says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner must take action or risk his position being undermined by Vettel.
‘If Christian Horner doesn’t reassert his authority in the team - because he has been totally subjugated by Sebastian Vettel yesterday - then his position in the team is not exactly the role it is designed to be,’ added Watson.
‘The only conclusion I can reach is that Vettel should be suspended for the next grand prix.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2298804/Mark-Webber-cuts-Sebastian-Vettel-AFTER-Malaysian-Grand-Prix--VIDEO.html#ixzz2OaDLtefJ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook




Wound-up Webber considering his F1 career after controversial Vettel victory in Malaysia 




Mark Webber will use the next two weeks to take stock of his Formula One career as the rift with Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel grew increasingly fractious.
Webber was left seething after Vettel deliberately ignored team orders to take the chequered flag at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Leading at the fourth and final pit stop 13 laps from home, Webber and Vettel were under instruction to hold station to the line.
Racing rift: Mark Webber (left) looks unhappy on the podium next to Sebastian Vettel
Racing rift: Mark Webber (left) looks unhappy on the podium next to Sebastian Vettel
World champion Vettel, however, tarnished his reputation as he blatantly defied team principal Christian Horner and went on the attack and won the 27th race of his career.
The duo, who previously clashed in the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix when Vettel attacked Webber only to crash out of the race, went wheel to wheel before the 25-year-old German passed the Australian on lap 46.
In the green room, where the top three drivers cool down post race, on the podium and in the main press conference the tension between them was palpable.
Although Vettel apologised it cut no ice with Webber who, when asked whether the situation had made him consider his future with the team and in F1 on the whole, said: 'My mind in the last 15 laps was thinking that many things, yes. Many, many things.'
As to how Webber will respond to an order in the future should he be in a position where he is chasing Vettel for a win, he said: 'That question is not going to be answered right now.
Not a Champagne moment: Webber reluctantly drinks from the bottle while Vettel watches on
Not a Champagne moment: Webber reluctantly drinks from the bottle while Vettel watches on
'Let's just say there were a lot of things going through my mind in the last 15 laps of the grand prix, lots of different reasons, not just from today but also from the past.
'We'll see what happens. We've got three weeks before the next race (in China on April 14).
'Right now it's very early days, it's very raw, but we need to work out how the team best goes forwards from here.
'That's obviously going to be discussed this week. I will be in Australia on my surfboard, the phone won't be engaged, so let's see what happens.'
Vettel, who had initially shown no remorse for his selfish actions when interviewed on the podium, changed his tune several minutes later when he fielded questions in the press conference.
Leading the way: Webber was ahead of Vettel until his team-mate's late surge
Leading the way: Webber was ahead of Vettel until his team-mate's late surge
'I can see now he (Webber) is upset, but yeah, I at least want to be honest and stick to the truth and apologise,' said Vettel
'I know it doesn't really help his feelings right now, but I should have behaved better.
'As I've said, I didn't do it deliberately. I didn't realise I had made a mistake. It was only when I came back and saw the team's reaction I realised.'
Horner claims clear-the-air talks were held immediately afterwards, but there is no doubt Webber will head back to his homeland feeling deeply aggrieved and with his mistrust of Vettel exacerbated.
Behind them Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were also involved in their own team orders controversy, although in this instance the latter obeyed the call from team boss Ross Brawn.
Fuming: Nico Rosberg wanted to overtake Lewis Hamilton but was told to hold back
Fuming: Nico Rosberg wanted to overtake Lewis Hamilton but was told to hold back
Clearly faster than Hamilton in the final stint, Rosberg twice asked to be let by only for Brawn to tell him to hold fire, much to the embarrassment of the Briton who believes he should have given way.
Jenson Button, meanwhile, should have finished at least fifth, only for a pit-stop error by his McLaren crew to ultimately wreck his race from which he retired a few laps from home.
As for Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard crashed out in his Ferrari at the start of lap two after the team opted not to call him into the pits for a new front wing damaged on lap one.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2298680/Mark-Webber-consider-Formula-One-career-Sebastian-Vettel-incident.html#ixzz2OaDitenn
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


Sunday, 24 March 2013

Webber gives Vettel the finger as world champion IGNORES team orders to win Malaysian Grand Prix


Red Bull in crisis: Webber gives Vettel the finger as world champion IGNORES team orders to win Malaysian Grand Prix 


Lewis Hamilton was handed preferential treatment over his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg as Sebastian Vettel defied team orders to deny Mark Webber victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
After rain spiced things up at the start, the race boiled down to two titanic struggles between team-mates at Red Bull and Mercedes following four pit stops for the quartet of drivers.
And while Rosberg begrudgingly held station for Hamilton to claim his inaugural podium for his new team, Vettel clearly had no intention of gifting Webber his first win since last year's British Grand Prix.
Scroll down for video
Tension: Sebastian Vettel takes the acclaim of the crowd as his team-mate Mark Webber looks on glumly
Tension: Sebastian Vettel takes the acclaim of the crowd as his team-mate Mark Webber looks on glumly
Mark Webber
Mark Webber

Drivers standings
The recriminations and repercussions went on long after the chequered flag with Webber inferring Vettel had ignored team orders but that he would be ‘protected’ by the team. Ultimately, the German's victory takes him level with Sir Jackie Stewart on 27 wins.
Vettel left Webber visibly upset, with the Australian driver refusing to acknowledge his team-mate, while the former issued a public apology. Red Bull cancelled their victory photo amid the turmoil. 
'I made a big mistake today and we should have stayed in the position,' said Vettel. 'I messed up in that situation and took the lead from Mark and can say now he is upset. Apologies to Mark. The result is there and all I can say is that I didn't do it deliberately. 
Vettel insisted he wasn't aware of his error until after the race. 'Mark should have won,' he said, adding that he won't make the mistake again.
Tension: Vettel later apologised to Webber although the Australian appeared reluctant to accept his words
Tension: Vettel later apologised to Webber although the Australian appeared reluctant to accept his words
Sebastian Vettel
Webber, furious after he had slowed whilst leading to save his tyres and engine, now appears to be considering his role at Red Bull.

WHAT THEY SAID

Sebastien Vettel
(During the race)
'Mark is too slow, get him out of the way.'
(Post-race)
'I think we should have stayed in the positions we were. I didn't ignore (the order to hold station) on purpose, but I messed up in that situation and obviously took the lead.
'I can see now he (Webber) is upset, but yeah, I at least want to be honest and stick to the truth and apologise.'
Mark Webber
(Post-race)
'Seb made his own decision and will have protection, and that's the way it goes.'
Christian Horner - Red Bull Team Principal
(During the race - after Vettel completed a risky overtake on Webber)
'This is silly Seb, come on.'
(Post-race)
'He (Vettel) knew what the communication was, but he chose to ignore it. He put his interests beyond what the team's position was.'
Nico Rosberg
(During the race)
'I think I'm faster (than third-placed Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton), let me pass.'
(from his car at the end of the race after complying with team orders)
'Remember this one.'
(Post-race - explaining latter comment above)
'It was a reminder to them (the team bosses) to remember that I played the game.'
Ross Brawn - Mercedes Team Principal
(During the race - in response to Rosberg suggesting he was quicker than Hamilton)
'Negative Nico, negative. Lewis' pace is what we are asking him to do. He can go a lot faster as well, so please be in control as well. There is a massive gap behind and nothing to gain in front. I want to bring both cars home.'
Lewis Hamilton
'If I'm honest it's Nico that should be standing here (on the third step of the podium).
'He deserves to be where I am. Obviously the team thought, with the position in the championship, it was logical to stay in the positions we were in.'
'There were a lot of things on my mind for the last 15 laps so we will see if that medicine (of a break) will work,' he said. 
'Basically, I got myself into position where we were controlling the race. I did a pretty good situation. I was ready for a sprint to the end and the team rang up and said, "the race pressure is off, look after the tyres. Don't fight each other." I turned the engine down.'
The race-defining moment reached its climax with 12 laps to go, prompting the Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to warn Vettel not to be silly. 
Vettel, however was in no mood to give any quarter to his team-mate, and when he finally muscled his way past there was no way back for Webber, who responded with a raised middle finger.
At least Hamilton had the good grace to admit Rosberg should have been on the podium given the pace advantage his team-mate had enjoyed.
'If I am honest Nico should be standing here, he had better pace,' he said. 'I was fuel-saving for a long, long time. But the guys did a great job and I brought it home. I can't say it is the best feeling being up here but racing is racing.'
In a race where the rain is usually a decisive factor, it was the white-hot racing on a dry track which was responsible for the thrilling climax.
The usual shower came around 40 minutes prior to red lights out. But despite conditions clearing for the start, the whole field needed intermediates for the opening laps.
Such tricky conditions can catch out even the best and after getting the drop on team-mate Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso was on the gearbox of pole man Sebastian Vettel.
But the Spaniard could not keep control of his Ferrari and twice tagged the back of the Red Bull, damaging his front wing.
Remarkably, Alonso stayed out for a second lap and, as his speed got up to 200mph down the main straight, he momentarily pitched his Ferrari into the air, before he slewed into the gravel trap and out of the race.
Vettel was the first into the pits at the end of lap five to put on slicks, but the switch was premature as he tumbled through the order, finishing the following lap in seventh place behind McLaren’s Sergio Perez.
But the mistake by Red Bull was not a patch on the clanger by Hamilton. Mercedes appeared to have got the call to bring Hamilton in at the end of lap seven bang on, but amazingly Hamilton pulled into the McLaren box before being waved down the pit lane by the mechanics of his former team.
The blunder cost Hamilton in the region of six seconds and the chance of emerging from the first wave of stops in the lead.
Instead it was Mark Webber, who also pitted at the end of lap seven, emerged in front after the first wave of stops – the Australian benefiting form Hamilton’s embarrassment and Vettel’s premature visit to the garage.
As matters shook down at the head of the field, Jenson Button - who blundered in similar circumstance to Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix two years ago - was maintaining the fifth place he had made up on the opening laps having started seventh on the grid.
Webber was back in at the end of lap 19 as Pirelli’s fragile rubber gave out and he was quickly followed by Hamilton, who found the right garage this time, followed by Vettel and Rosberg.
The top three remained Webber, Vettel, Hamilton once the field sorted itself out, although the reigning world champion opted for the softer compound tyre.
But while the second round of stops was plain sailing for the leaders, any hope of Force India building on their good start to the season evaporated in the pits.
Adrian Sutil had already suffered a tardy first stop but when teammate Paul di Resta visited his pit for the second time disaster struck as the team struggled to remove his front left wheel. A hammer was employed to try and fix the issue, but after finally getting the tyre on, Resta was soon back in the garage to retire his car.
Sutil suffered exactly the same problem, and after dropping to last place, the decision was taken to retire the German’s Force India, the first time both their cars have retired since the Japanese Grand Prix in 2010.
Naughty: Webber appeared to give his team-mate the finger after Vettel defied orders
Naughty: Webber appeared to give his team-mate the finger after Vettel defied orders
All smiles? Vettel hugs Red Bull chief Adrian Newey after winning in Malaysia
All smiles? Vettel hugs Red Bull chief Adrian Newey after winning in Malaysia
In front: Vettel defied team orders to overtake Webber and set up his first win of the season
In front: Vettel defied team orders to overtake Webber and set up his first win of the season
Meanwhile, at the front, Vettel was letting his frustration at being stuck behind Webber on softer tyres get the better of him. Speaking into his radio, as Hamilton closed up behind, Vettel moaned: ‘Mark is too slow, get him out of the way.’
Told to be patient, Vettel was handed the chance to do something about his team-mate as he assumed the lead when Webber and Nico Rosberg pitted for a third time, one lap after Hamilton.
But the decision to stay out an extra lap looked to have proved costly as both Webber and Hamilton swept past Vettel as he emerged from the pits following a slightly tardy stop.
And as Hamilton set about chasing down Webber, remarkably, given McLaren’s woes, Button briefly found himself leading the race until disaster struck.
Visiting the pits for the third time, and looking on for a decent points finish, Button fell foul of McLaren’s blundering pit crew yet again. Just as in Silverstone two years’ ago, McLaren released Button without his front-right wheel properly attached, forcing him to grind to a halt in the pit lane.
Early finish: Fernando Alonso damaged his wing and was forced to retire on the second lap
Early finish: Fernando Alonso damaged his wing and was forced to retire on the second lap
Early finish: Fernando Alonso damaged his wing and was forced to retire on the second lap
Early finish: Fernando Alonso damaged his wing and was forced to retire on the second lap
Early finish: Fernando Alonso damaged his wing and was forced to retire on the second lap
Not happy: Alonso abandoned his car after being forced to call it a day on the second lap
Blunder: Lewis Hamilton drove into the McLaren pit box instead of his own Mercedes team
Blunder: Lewis Hamilton drove into the McLaren pit box instead of his own Mercedes team
Blunder: Lewis Hamilton drove into the McLaren pit box instead of his own Mercedes team
Shock: Nicole Scherzinger watches as her boyfriend Hamilton drives into the wrong pit box
Shock: Nicole Scherzinger watches as her boyfriend Hamilton drives into the wrong pit box
McLaren mechanics frantically raced to Buttons car and pushed it back to the garage, but despite finally sending him out with four wheels in his wagon, the damage had been done as he returned to the track way down in 14th
The news for Hamilton was not much better as, having burned excess petrol to stay in touch with the Red Bull, the 2008 world champion was told to save fuel. The lack of pace made him a sitting duck to Vettel who regained second place into the first turn at the start of lap 39.
In danger of being passed by Rosberg, Hamilton dived into the pits for a fourth and final time. The move kept him just ahead of his team-mate.
The final stops also set up a titanic struggle between Webber and Vettel for first place. Having pitted one lap later than Vettel, Webber returned to the track a whisker ahead of his team-mate.
A superb battle royale of wheel-to-wheel racing ensued as Hamilton and Rosberg briefly exchanged places further down the track.
Blow: Jenson Button was forced to retire his McLaren on the penultimate lap
Blow: Jenson Button was forced to retire his McLaren on the penultimate lap
Jenson Button is pushed back
Jenson Button is pushed back
Jenson Button is pushed back
Hamilton had far more to worry about form Rosberg to maintain third place as the chequered flag drew ever closer, the German less than a second behind and in DRS range.
Like Vettel, Rosberg came onto the team radio to state: ‘I am so much faster, let me get past.’ ‘Negative’ was the response from Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn.
Back on to the radio came Rosberg: ‘Tell him to speed up a bit, he’s too slow.’ Brawn replied tersely: ‘Please drop back a bit Nico, there is a big gap behind and I want to bring both these cars home.’
The order was accepted as Vettel crossed the line to win accompanied by the message he would have some explaining to do.
Brawn too was left with some explaining to do to a disgruntled Rosberg. ‘We’ll discuss the last bit later,’ said the boss. ‘Remember this one,’ replied his driver.
Thumbs up: Hamilton took the the podium for the first time with Mercedes
Thumbs up: Hamilton took the the podium for the first time with Mercedes





Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2298324/Malaysian-Grand-Pix-2013-Sebastian-Vettel-beats-Mark-Webber-Lewis-Hamilton.html#ixzz2OTvScCQA
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Sunday, 8 July 2012

Webber wins to close gap on Alonso as Hamilton and Button struggle at Silverstone


Webber wins to close gap on Alonso as Hamilton and Button struggle at Silverstone

    Mark Webber proved himself a genuine Formula One world title contender this season with victory in Sunday's British Grand Prix.
Last year at Silverstone Webber was contentiously ordered to hold station behind Sebastian Vettel as he closed in on his Red Bull team-mate in the dying stages at Silverstone.
Job done: Webber's Red Bull team rush to congratulate him as he crosses the finishing line
Job done: Webber's Red Bull team rush to congratulate him as he crosses the finishing line

HOW THEY FINISHED

1 Mark Webber (Red Bull) 
2 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
4 Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
5 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
6 Romain Grosjean (Lotus)
7 Michael Schumacher (Mercedes)
8 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
9 Bruno Senna (Williams) 
10 Jenson Button (McLaren) 
But on Sunday it was Webber and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso battling at the front at the death, with the former grabbing the lead on lap 48 of the 52, going on to claim the ninth victory of his career.
More importantly it has allowed Webber to close the gap on Alonso at the top of the championship standings to 13 points, with Vettel having to settle for third on this occasion, and lying 29 points down.
Webber said: 'It was another great day for us, a great day for me. To win here again is a fantastic feeling.'
For the Britons, in front of a sell-out 125,500 crowd, it was a day to forget as McLaren pair Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button were eighth and 10th, whilst Force India's Paul di Resta retired after two laps.
High hopes: Webber jumps for joy after clinching his second British Grand Prix win
High hopes: Webber jumps for joy after clinching his second British Grand Prix win
High hopes: Webber jumps for joy after clinching his second British Grand Prix win
After two days of rain that have caused havoc on and around the circuit this year, with car parks turned into mudbaths, drivers and fans were able to enjoy a dry race.
To that end, as qualifying ended in the wet on Saturday, teams were given a free rein when it came to tyre choice at the start, and it was McLaren who opted for the wrong strategy.
They chose the hard compound for Hamilton and Button, while six of the seven ahead of the former - Alonso the exception - opted for the soft Pirellis.
In starting from pole and managing to get the run into the first corner, Alonso was able to make his two-stop plan work for the most part.
That was until his soft tyres in the final stint proved no match for Webber on the hards, with the Australian making his move into Brooklands with just over four laps remaining.
Leading the way: Webber overtook Alonso late in the race
Leading the way: Webber overtook Alonso late in the race
As for Hamilton, he finished where he started, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa fourth ahead of Lotus duo Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, with Mercedes' Michael Schumacher seventh.
Hamilton now finds himself 37 points down on Alonso, with Button cast adrift in eighth, 79 points off the pace and with his title hopes fading fast.
The 32-year-old, who started 16th, at least managed to collect a point courtesy of a mistake on the penultimate lap from Force India's Nico Hulkenberg.
For Di Resta, it was not the British Grand Prix he dreamed of as the Scot suffered his first retirement for 24 races.
Clear skies: The expected rain stayed away
Clear skies: The expected rain stayed away
Coming out of The Loop at turn five on the opening lap, Di Resta was sent spinning into the large run-off area, sustaining a left-rear puncture.
Although Di Resta managed to limp back to the pits, he sustained damage to the floor that forced him back into the garage at the end of the second lap, and ultimately out of the race.
Di Resta said: 'I've no indication as to what happened. I don't know if someone caught me, but I picked up a puncture, and then the heavy damage to the floor. There was no point carrying on.'
There was bitter frustration for Di Resta, felt by Sergio Perez too on lap 12 as Pastor Maldonado again proved a danger to all around him.
From the seventh and ninth positions the duo pitted together, and after returning to the track Perez was soon alongside Maldonado going into Brooklands.
Missing out: Alonso had led the race from pole position before being overtaken
Missing out: Alonso had led the race from pole position before being overtaken
Missing out: Alonso had led the race from pole position before being overtaken
Although there was enough room for Perez to go round the outside, Maldonado tried to shift to that line, only to bundle the Mexican off track and out of the race.
It was the second time in successive races Maldonado has seemingly lost the plot given his incident with Hamilton on the penultimate lap of the European Grand Prix in Valencia a fortnight ago.
And for the second successive race Maldonado faces a post-grand prix investigation by the stewards, with Perez demanding they take serious action before another driver gets hurt.
A furious Perez said: 'He has no respect for other drivers. He is a very stupid driver.
'I don't know why the stewards don't take more action against him. He deserves a big penalty.
It's the pits: Webber comes in for a pit-stop
It's the pits: Webber comes in for a pit-stop
'We are risking our lives out there and if they (the stewards) don't do something he will hurt someone.
'For all the drivers he is very dangerous driver on the circuit.'
Team-mate Kamui Kobayashi later proved a danger to his own pit crew as he sent four flying in coming in for his second stop at the end of lap 37.
That prompted Kobayashi into issuing a sincere apology to his team over the in-car radio, in particular as he left two of his mechanics requiring medical attention.
A delighted Webber said: 'At the start Fernando had good pace, Fernando started on a different tyre to us but we never gave up and kept pushing.
'It didn't work out for Fernando at the end, it was very, very close for him but we were able to capitalise.
Close encounter: Alonso got off to a good start
Close encounter: Alonso got off to a good start
'It's a special win for the team, we are a local team based just down the road and it's incredible for them and it's another victory for Renault Sport in the UK and I am very proud.
'Thanks to all the fans for sticking with us over the last few days.'
Alonso remained upbeat despite being denied a second consecutive victory so late on, and echoed Webber in praising the Silverstone fans for braving the sodden conditions.
'At the end Mark was much quicker than us and he deserves the win so congratulations to him and the Red Bull team, but I am proud of Ferrari's recovery in the last couple of weeks,' he said.
'We have fought for the wins in the last four races.
'Thanks to the fans for coming through the bad weather, I hope they enjoyed it.'
Mud bath: The car parks remained closed at Silverstone
Mud bath: The car parks remained closed at Silverstone
Champagne moment: Webber is right in contention for the driver's championship title
Champagne moment: Webber is right in contention for the driver's championship title
Champagne moment: Webber is right in contention for the driver's championship title
Champagne moment: Webber is right in contention for the driver's championship title


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2170482/Mark-Webber-wins-British-Grand-Prix-Silverstone.html#ixzz204tepGhT





We're a long way behind our rivals, admits Hamilton as McLaren falter at British GP 



Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button bemoaned McLaren's lack of pace after being unable to make an impact on their home Grand Prix at Silverstone. 
McLaren had been bullish ahead of the British round of the championship, believing upgrades to the MP4-27 would lead to a strong performance on home soil. 
But after starting eighth and 16th respectively the pair were never a factor in the fight for the podium places and ultimately finished down in eighth and 10th as Mark Webber secured victory for Red Bull.
Bad day at the office: Button and Hamilton endured a difficult day at Silverstone
Bad day at the office: Button and Hamilton endured a difficult day at Silverstone
On the evidence of the last two rounds, here and at Valencia, McLaren are some way off the pace of Red Bull and Ferrari and Hamilton, who has now fallen 37 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso, knows there is plenty of work to be done before the German Grand Prix. 
When asked how far the team are behind Red Bull, Hamilton said: 'A long way away, but we will keep working at it and hopefully catch them up. 
'It wasn't a special race to be honest, I wish we could have done more for the fans, we tried as hard as we could but we just didn't have the pace today. 
Out in front: Hamilton led the race after going longer on his first set of tyres
Out in front: Hamilton led the race after going longer on his first set of tyres
'I don't know why. I think I was in the lead at one point so I don't understand how you can be there and then go all the way back back to where I started, but I pushed all the way and did everything I could. 
'I was flat out right to the end but for some reason we didn't have any speed.'
Hamilton also said he would take a look at the strategy McLaren used for him today. Hamilton started on the hard compound tyre and took the lead when those ahead of him stopped, but as his tyres started to go off Alonso easily caught and passed the McLaren. But Hamilton felt he could have stayed out longer, even though he was substantially slower than the leaders immediately prior to his stop. 
Long way behind: McLaren have slipped to fourth in the constructors' standings
Long way behind: McLaren have slipped to fourth in the constructors' standings
He said: 'From what I can understand it must have been okay, but I will have to look at it afterwards to see how the strategy panned out. 
'In the first stint my tyres were still good and I was almost holding on to Fernando on quite old tyres so maybe a one stop (strategy) would have been possible, I really don't know to be honest.
'We did everything we could but it was a really tough race for us, really tough.'
Champagne moment: Webber celebrates his second victory of the 2012 championship
Champagne moment: Webber celebrates his second victory of the 2012 championship
Button, now without a podium finish on home soil in 13 attempts, was similarly despondent, and believes that it is not just the Red Bulls and Ferraris who have got the McLarens beat on pure speed at the moment. 
He said: 'I just don't think we are very quick at the moment. I think that's an issue for both cars. 
'The Red Bulls look strong and even following the Williams around you can see they are very strong. They can put their car in certain areas I could not imagine putting the car and getting away with it. 
'We have to find some pace, it's not just Red Bull and Ferrari that are quicker than us, I think a lot of cars are, I just don't think they got their strategy right today. 
'We have a lot to work on and I am sorry to the fans we could not have a better result and fight at the front, hopefully we can do that soon.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2170542/British-Grand-Prix-2012-Lewis-Hamilton-says-McLaren-long-way-Ferrari-Red-Bull.html#ixzz204uiAw2S