Mark Webber wants to compete for the title next season
Red Bull Racing driver, Mark Webber stated that he does not intend to play second fiddle next season alongside Sebastian Vettel. However, he acknowledges that he will need a bit more consistency to succeed in beating his teammate, now a three-time world champion.
Mark Webber and Red Bull have decided to extend their partnership for another year in 2013. The announcement of this contract extension took place quite quickly at the end of the first part of the season. However, the Australian is keen to emphasize that he will not play the role of a model teammate for Sebastian Vettel and is determined to fight for the title.
Of course, the final standings of the 2012 season are more favorable for Vettel, crowned for the third time, than for Webber, only sixth. The Queanbeyan native is fully aware: « Of course, Sebastian is clearly at the forefront; not just within the team, but also on a global level. He has won his third title and all the other drivers want to beat him. »
But the Australian’s ideas for the upcoming season are very clear. He wants to play his own game: “I’m not going to start thinking about playing a teammate role. I’m here for myself, to achieve the best possible results and for that, I need to be a full-fledged member of the team. So clearly, I’m not going to start thinking about a support driver role.”
Mark Webber won two prestigious victories in 2012, in Monaco and Silverstone, but his performances began to decline in the second part of the season. He readily acknowledges his lack of consistency: « In the end, we were not as consistent compared to 2010 and 2011. We made a very good step forward in qualifying pace, but not in terms of our performances on Sundays. We weren’t strong enough until the end of the season, but the margin was narrow and, before we knew it, the few retirements here and there cost us big points in the end. »
