- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Mark Webber has thrown out a thinly-veiled challenge to his Red Bull teammate and Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel as he prepares for Sunday’s Australian F1 Grand Prix.
Having capped a season in which his rivalry with Vettel seemed mostly to be frustrating and at times simmering, the Australian won the final race of the year in Brazil to set him up for a more fruitful 2012.
“Seb’s been on a great run for a couple of years.
“But nothing is forever.
“Strange things can happen.”
Vettel claimed his second world championship in 2011 and is a firm favourite to make it three this year.
But Webber is more than happy with his car and his form coming into the opening race of the season at Albert Park on Sunday.
“Your home grand prix is always the one you want to win most,” Webber said.
“Seb isn’t slowing down, but I’ve had a pretty good winter too.”
A new contract, a fitness and strength campaign that has him in better shape than ever and a car with which he is “extremely happy” have apparently banished any intra-team tension.
“There’ll be some headwinds and some great moments,” Webber said.
For Webber, the Australian GP presents some unique challenges, along with equally-unique circumstances.
Apart from the pressure of performing well in front of his home crowd, he must balance the social and media demands that accompany his status as Australia’s No.1 F1 driver.
“You have to assess what’s worth doing and what’s not,” he said.
“What you end up with isn’t always what you want, but it’s what we do.”
Webber comes into the 2012 season with the security of a new contract with Red Bull but, despite the occasional tensions of the past few years, he says it will make no difference to his approach to racing.
“The contract means nothing,” he said.
“If you’re not good enough, you get out of it.
“If you are, you stay.
“I’ve achieved some amazing things in the past few years which I am proud of.
“I’ll achieve some more.”
For all the rivalry that might have existed between he and Vettel, the Australian is duly respectful of his German teammate.
Webber said Vettel’s achievement of winning consecutive world championships should be regarded as more than simply two wins.
“The double is more than a double,” he said.
“A lot of drivers win one world championship.
“Very few win two.”
Looking for great odds on racing and sport? Get into the action with PlayUp today. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.