Not bad for a No2 driver, says Webber after Silverstone win
MARK WEBBER swept to his third victory of the season at the British Grand Prix yesterday – and celebrated with a dig at his team.
The Australian was furious after Red Bull chiefs removed a new front wing and handed it to team-mate Sebastian Vettel ahead of qualifying after it broke in practice on Friday.
And he made his point with a sarcastic remark on the team radio to team principal Christian Horner after holding off home favourite Lewis Hamilton for a commanding victory at Silverstone.
Congratulating his driver, Horner said: “Well done Mark, you can smile now” to which Webber replied: “Well done guys, not bad for a number two driver!”
Victory saw Hamilton extend his lead over his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button to 12 points with Webber leapfrogging team-mate Vettel into third.
Button, too, impressed, fighting his way up from 14th on the grid to claim fourth place, just behind the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.
The Red Bull furore added spice to the start of the race with Webber starting second on the grid behind pole-setter Vettel.
Vettel immediately moved right to squeeze out his team-mate towards the first corner at Copse, but Webber brilliantly powered his way through, prompting Vettel to take evasive action and make the faintest of contact with Hamilton.
This caused the German to sustain a puncture, veering off at Becketts and eventually rejoining the race at the very back of the field.
Hamilton tailed Webber throughout as the pair raced away from the rest of the field, but just couldn’t get close enough to the ultra-quick Red Bull to make his move and had to settle for a second straight runner-up spot. “Mark did a phenomenal job,” Hamilton said. “I was trying to do my qualifying lap every lap, but he was able to keep creeping away.”
Webber attempted to defuse the team row afterwards, adding: “I did just the best job I could and it worked out okay. I enjoyed the grand prix and I had a good fight with Lewis, especially the first part.
“The team did a great job at the pit stop and I then got my head down on the harder tyre.”
BRITISH GP | RACE STANDINGS
1. Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1:24:38.200
2. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) +00:01
3. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) +00.21
4. Jenson Button (McLaren) +00:21
5. Rubens Barrichello (Williams) +00:31
STANDINGS | DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 145pts
2. Jenson Button (McLaren) 133
3. Mark Webber (Red Bull) 128
4. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 121
5. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 98