Mark Webber and RBR
Discussion
OK so it's only from Twitter but I thought this was interesting...
F1 Photographer said:
F1Photographer:
V honest #F1 #Webber press con. Resigned to political situ in RBR. Vettel is the focus and MW is not supposed to be in title fight. His words
I'd be looking to move if I were the big Aussie!V honest #F1 #Webber press con. Resigned to political situ in RBR. Vettel is the focus and MW is not supposed to be in title fight. His words
Mannginger said:
OK so it's only from Twitter but I thought this was interesting...
I think he should be reading the small print in his contract, looking for any get-out clause he can.F1 Photographer said:
F1Photographer:
V honest #F1 #Webber press con. Resigned to political situ in RBR. Vettel is the focus and MW is not supposed to be in title fight. His words
I'd be looking to move if I were the big Aussie!V honest #F1 #Webber press con. Resigned to political situ in RBR. Vettel is the focus and MW is not supposed to be in title fight. His words
And here's the article that was being quoted:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/87915
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/87915
Autosport said:
Webber: Vettel is Red Bull's favourite
By Jonathan Noble and Matt Beer Thursday, November 4th 2010, 19:09 GMT
Mark Webber has suggested that Red Bull Racing is 'emotionally behind' his team-mate Sebastian Vettel going into the final two races of the world championship battle.
The issue of team favouritism has been a hot topic at Red Bull this year, following Webber and Vettel's collision as they fought for the lead of the Turkish Grand Prix, and the incident where Webber had to hand his upgraded front wing to Vettel before Silverstone qualifying after the German's example failed.
Webber and Vettel arrive in Brazil 11 and 25 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso, but with the team adamant that it will continue to support both men's title bids.
When asked if he felt he was getting equal support, Webber replied: "technically everything's been very, very good" but when pressed on whether he felt he had the same level of emotional backing as Vettel, he said: "It's obvious isn't it?"
Webber added: "Of course when young, new chargers come onto the block, that's where the emotion is. That's the way it is.
"Which is absolutely fine, because I've had a great opportunity and a great car to go and do some great things this year, and I have done that.
"I've got favourites in life. I've got people I like to be with. That's how it is. It's human nature."
While the team has remained adamant that it will not impose any form of team orders, Webber said there was the potential to let both championships slip away if Red Bull did not handle the final races correctly.
"I'm a driver, and I think that of course you increase your risk of that happening if you race each other and potentially take each other out, or race as hard as you want all the way to the end then you might not get certain championships," he said.
"But it's certainly not my decision and what I think is really all that important to how we will probably go about it. You'd need to ask the people who run the team."
He was not sure how he would feel about supporting Vettel if the points positions were reversed.
"It's a tough question and a tough situation to know how you would do things," Webber admitted.
"There's a lot of really good people at this team and there's no getting away from the fact that we would love to win some championships this year.
"We're at different parts of our career as well, so it's not as easy as some might imagine. I'd need to think a lot further about that.
"For different reasons here and there, obviously Seb's never led the championship this year and I have, so whatever happens in all the races we've had, we've now got two races to go and that's what the scoreboard says.
"Whatever the best way we go about handling trying to win the championship, we'll see on the Monday after Abu Dhabi if it was the right way."
He insisted he could still be satisfied with his season even if he ultimately missed out on the title despite leading the standings for much of the year.
"If you had asked me at the start of the year, I have a chance of winning the championship, I've won four races, I've had nine podiums, it's been a sensational year for me," Webber said.
"I can still put the icing on the cake and I'd love to be able to do that. If we don't, then the sun still comes up on Monday morning."
Webber also dismissed Gerhard Berger's allegation that he had allowed his car to run back across the road during his Korean Grand Prix crash because he had been keen to try and eliminate one of his title rivals. The spinning Red Bull collected Nico Rosberg's Mercedes in the incident.
"I know Gerhard's had some pretty nasty accidents in his time and so have I - Le Mans, Valencia..." said Webber.
"I'd never put myself or anyone else in any more danger than I need to. I've lost control of the car and [Berger's saying] all of a sudden I've regained control of the car and try and take people out... I'm a genius, aren't I?"
When asked if he was surprised that Berger's comments came on the Red Bull-owned Servus TV station, Webber replied: "absolutely".
By Jonathan Noble and Matt Beer Thursday, November 4th 2010, 19:09 GMT
Mark Webber has suggested that Red Bull Racing is 'emotionally behind' his team-mate Sebastian Vettel going into the final two races of the world championship battle.
The issue of team favouritism has been a hot topic at Red Bull this year, following Webber and Vettel's collision as they fought for the lead of the Turkish Grand Prix, and the incident where Webber had to hand his upgraded front wing to Vettel before Silverstone qualifying after the German's example failed.
Webber and Vettel arrive in Brazil 11 and 25 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso, but with the team adamant that it will continue to support both men's title bids.
When asked if he felt he was getting equal support, Webber replied: "technically everything's been very, very good" but when pressed on whether he felt he had the same level of emotional backing as Vettel, he said: "It's obvious isn't it?"
Webber added: "Of course when young, new chargers come onto the block, that's where the emotion is. That's the way it is.
"Which is absolutely fine, because I've had a great opportunity and a great car to go and do some great things this year, and I have done that.
"I've got favourites in life. I've got people I like to be with. That's how it is. It's human nature."
While the team has remained adamant that it will not impose any form of team orders, Webber said there was the potential to let both championships slip away if Red Bull did not handle the final races correctly.
"I'm a driver, and I think that of course you increase your risk of that happening if you race each other and potentially take each other out, or race as hard as you want all the way to the end then you might not get certain championships," he said.
"But it's certainly not my decision and what I think is really all that important to how we will probably go about it. You'd need to ask the people who run the team."
He was not sure how he would feel about supporting Vettel if the points positions were reversed.
"It's a tough question and a tough situation to know how you would do things," Webber admitted.
"There's a lot of really good people at this team and there's no getting away from the fact that we would love to win some championships this year.
"We're at different parts of our career as well, so it's not as easy as some might imagine. I'd need to think a lot further about that.
"For different reasons here and there, obviously Seb's never led the championship this year and I have, so whatever happens in all the races we've had, we've now got two races to go and that's what the scoreboard says.
"Whatever the best way we go about handling trying to win the championship, we'll see on the Monday after Abu Dhabi if it was the right way."
He insisted he could still be satisfied with his season even if he ultimately missed out on the title despite leading the standings for much of the year.
"If you had asked me at the start of the year, I have a chance of winning the championship, I've won four races, I've had nine podiums, it's been a sensational year for me," Webber said.
"I can still put the icing on the cake and I'd love to be able to do that. If we don't, then the sun still comes up on Monday morning."
Webber also dismissed Gerhard Berger's allegation that he had allowed his car to run back across the road during his Korean Grand Prix crash because he had been keen to try and eliminate one of his title rivals. The spinning Red Bull collected Nico Rosberg's Mercedes in the incident.
"I know Gerhard's had some pretty nasty accidents in his time and so have I - Le Mans, Valencia..." said Webber.
"I'd never put myself or anyone else in any more danger than I need to. I've lost control of the car and [Berger's saying] all of a sudden I've regained control of the car and try and take people out... I'm a genius, aren't I?"
When asked if he was surprised that Berger's comments came on the Red Bull-owned Servus TV station, Webber replied: "absolutely".
"Mark Webber has suggested that Red Bull Racing is 'emotionally behind' his team-mate Sebastian Vettel going into the final two races of the world championship battle.
"When asked if he felt he was getting equal support, Webber replied: "technically everything's been very, very good" but when pressed on whether he felt he had the same level of emotional backing as Vettel, he said: "It's obvious isn't it?" "
So where's the problem? Emotional support? Come on! He's an Aussie.
All the team has to do is supply equal cars and give equal technical support. If Webber sates that's what's happening then that, to me, is enough. And to be fair to him, it is what he's saying as well.
Whether Berger was put up to the criticism of him is another matter.
"When asked if he felt he was getting equal support, Webber replied: "technically everything's been very, very good" but when pressed on whether he felt he had the same level of emotional backing as Vettel, he said: "It's obvious isn't it?" "
So where's the problem? Emotional support? Come on! He's an Aussie.
All the team has to do is supply equal cars and give equal technical support. If Webber sates that's what's happening then that, to me, is enough. And to be fair to him, it is what he's saying as well.
Whether Berger was put up to the criticism of him is another matter.
Being cynical..
Option 1: Red bull is in the sport to sell cans of drink. Vettel is more marketable, hence has the support. I can buy that.
Option 2: Red Bull is in it to sell cans of drink. Any publicity is good publicity. Creating an "in fight" between your 2 men ensures more than the normal level of publicity, all of which has your name all over it. If your "golden boy" vettel wins, you were right, and win. If "the underdog" wins, you all win twice. Either way, you get roughly double the exposure you would have in an Alonso / Massa situation.
Option 1: Red bull is in the sport to sell cans of drink. Vettel is more marketable, hence has the support. I can buy that.
Option 2: Red Bull is in it to sell cans of drink. Any publicity is good publicity. Creating an "in fight" between your 2 men ensures more than the normal level of publicity, all of which has your name all over it. If your "golden boy" vettel wins, you were right, and win. If "the underdog" wins, you all win twice. Either way, you get roughly double the exposure you would have in an Alonso / Massa situation.
I'm putting my 'TV ranting' behind Webber. Since Button is realistically out of the running, Hamilton has already won one and still has time on his side, Webber really deserves this title IMO.
I can't deny Vettel irritates me and he has been shown favour this year. Alonso, if he wins, will end up with everyone banging on about the 'Team Orders' incident all next season and he's not exactly easy to warm to.
Let's hope for some justice in the world and Webber holds it together to win.
I can't deny Vettel irritates me and he has been shown favour this year. Alonso, if he wins, will end up with everyone banging on about the 'Team Orders' incident all next season and he's not exactly easy to warm to.
Let's hope for some justice in the world and Webber holds it together to win.
The way Red Bull have handled this year, in terms of team politics and comments to the media, I really don't think they deserve to win a championship. HOWEVER, I really like Webber as a driver and would love to see him win the drivers title. With so much bad blood in the RBR camp however, I've got a horrible feeling it's going to end in tears once again - if Vettel and Webber finish 1 and 2 in Brazil, they'll be 7 points apart and all to play for in Abu Dhabi. If Vettel wins there, he'll be champion on countback of victories (Vettel 5 to Webber 4). Or they'll take each other out and Alonso will stroll home the champ!
thepawbroon said:
My opinion is that MW is stating that the team are emotionally behind SV to instigate a bit of media scrutiny, so that RBR are obliged to demonstrate that they are being fair to both drivers. Technically and "emotionally".
I think it's very smart of him.
Yup, similar but a much more subtle and less antagonistic version of what Alonso did to Mclaren at Brazil in 2007 where he basically claimed that Mclaren might nobble his race in order to allow Hamilton to win, which ended up with an FIA steward overseeing the garage for the weekend to ensure equality.I think it's very smart of him.
I'm not normally one to add to threads such as this, but I have to say that Mark Webber stands out as one of the few drivers who is prepared to be a bit more open and honest about life within a F1 race team. He's clearly got his head screwed on properly and he's not one to be psyched out, and I really hope he takes the (red) bull by the horns this weekend and tears SV a new one.
And hopefully, once he's world champion, he can start to ramp up the pressure on the cancerous element within RBR that is Dr Helmut Marko. He is the primary reason, IMO, why RBR has been a bit crap at handling the fact that they have the fastest car and two very good drivers. He has created a tension within the team which has absolutely no place when you're supposedly aiming to race for and win both championships.
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