Mark Webber column

Welcome to the second of my columns for the BBC Sport website, where I will be discussing Formula 1 and other issues across the world of sport

By Mark Webber Red Bull driver and BBC Sport columnist

I'm not going to get any prizes for guessing what you all want to read about this week, am I? My team's decision to ask me not to try to pass Sebastian Vettel in the other Red Bull in the last four of five laps of the British Grand Prix.

I chose to race as hard and as fair as I thought was possible, trying my best to beat Seb. I got pretty close a couple of times but couldn't quite pull it off.

It was obviously a difficult situation, but I still feel comfortable about what I did.

In that situation, you are hit by conflicting emotions. You want to improve your position irrespective of who it is in front of you - especially when it is someone at Sebastian's level, whom you have to work pretty hard to get back on to.

To manage it but then be told to hold position is something I wasn't prepared to follow at the time. If I'd backed off and held the gap at three seconds, as I was asked to do, it would have been much more difficult for me to sleep after the race.

At the same time, I knew I was going against the team's wishes.

Normally, if you are racing and trying to gain a position, you would imagine everyone would be happy with that.

They weren't, obviously - not because they didn't want me to finish second; they just didn't want us to have contact.

From a team's perspective, it is obviously their worst nightmare.

It's a sensational problem having two competitive drivers but after so many people have put in so much effort in the build-up, they don't want to have one or both cars out of the race. That's where they're coming from.

Having said that, if they were worried about the team losing points, one option would have been for us to swap positions, given that I was a fair bit faster at that stage of the race and was putting a lot of pressure on.

But I'm not a massive fan of that and I know Red Bull Racing isn't either. To my way of thinking, the ball's as much in Seb's court as it is in mine in such situations.

We should be free to race but to keep the team's best interests in the back of our minds, which I'm sure would have been the case anyway.

What made it difficult for me to accept was that it happened so close to the end of the race.

Over the years in F1, we have seen a number of situations when a team has asked one driver to let another by to ensure both their strategies work, for example.

Earlier in the race, there is still plenty to go on, and you are helping a guy who at that point of the race is quicker because of strategy or whatever.

But when you are coming to the line and you've only got five laps to go, there is no more strategy to be played out. It's just a straight fight.

In that case, any driver is going to be a little bit less inclined to accept a request like that, because they know that is what the result is going to be.

Christian [Horner, Red Bull's team principal] and I had a chat about the situation after the race. We both put our cases forward and I think we came away seeing it from both perspectives.

I'm sure you'll be wondering if it will make any difference to my decision about what I do in 2012, whether I carry on racing with Red Bull or not.

The team and I have time to make that decision. We're talking about continuing at the moment and it's positive, and what happened on Sunday does not turn my world upside down.

Putting that aside, it was a positive weekend for me and that gives me a lot of optimism about the rest of the season.

The trend has definitely been going the right way for me in terms of performance over the past few races and I'm getting much more out of the car on Sundays.

Earlier in the year that, combined with some reliability issues, wasn't the case. My engineers were very pleased with that - we have definitely made a step forward.

Source: BBC Sport
... more HERE

FIA: Diffuser row has been resolved

The FIA is confident there will be no aftermath following an end to the technical row that overshadowed the British Grand Prix

The introduction of a ban on off-throttle blown diffusers sparked a spat between Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and McLaren counterpart Martin Whitmarsh at Silverstone as they argued over its intricacies.

It resulted in two extraordinary meetings of the Technical Working Group (TWG) over the weekend in a bid to reach a resolution for the rest of the season.

Motor sport's world governing body has now officially confirmed a return to the measures applied for the European Grand Prix in Valencia just over a fortnight ago.

For that race a ban on engine mapping - where an engine is tweaked via an electronic control unit between qualifying and the race with regard to performance - came into force.

But given the difficulties in finding a fair and equitable solution in relation to the diffusers, teams can carry on as they were prior to the British GP.

The FIA has admitted "the matter was more complex than initially thought".

In a Q&A on their website, the FIA confirm representations from Renault Sport, who supply engines to three teams including Red Bull, initially stirred the pot.

It was only following the TWG meetings that consensus was reached, with the teams agreeing to run for the rest of the season as they did in Valencia.

The FIA added: "This was felt to be the most sensible solution to a very complicated matter as the possibility of finding an alternative solution, which would be fair to all engine manufacturers, was becoming increasingly unlikely."

Confirming the matter now been settled, the FIA said: "All cars will run under 'Valencia' conditions for the remainder of the season.

"We are optimistic there will be no protests over any engine mapping and exhaust tailpipe issues this season.

"It was also agreed no team would raise a protest against another on these matters for the rest of the season."

Source: Planet-F1

Mark Webber writes exclusively on his performance at the British GP 2011

You get what you deserve in motor racing and Fernando Alonso was the deserved winner of Sunday's British Grand Prix

He drove very well and Ferrari's race pace was strong, as it has been at the last few races

Third wasn't exactly a bad result for me, but we didn't get the maximum out of the race on my side of the garage.

My start from pole position was okay, but the right side of the grid had more grip and Seb (Vettel) got the jump into turn one.

I then had a big moment at Becketts on my in-lap, which allowed Fernando to gain a bit of time, and the pitstops weren't quite as sharp as at other races.

All of these things added up and you have to get everything right if you want to win on Sunday afternoons.

From a performance point of view, the RB7 performed well through Silverstone's fast sweeps.

Seb and I locked out the front row of the grid and the car performed well on intermediate tyres at the start of the race.

That first stint was demanding because one part of the track was wet and the rest of it dry, so it was a constant battle to look after your tyres.

Michael Schumacher was the first guy to pit for dries and we watched his lap times carefully.

I stayed out for three more laps, which was longer than ideal, but judging the crossover point is part of the game.

The car was good at the beginning of my subsequent stints, before tailing off because I lost the left-front tyre on each occasion.

The last stint was probably my best of the race and I was able to pass Lewis (Hamilton) pretty easily for third place.

That gave the team a double podium and extended our lead in the constructors' championship to 110 points.

Seb and I had a good battle late on. The team put in a few calls asking me to maintain the gap, but I kept pushing because you can never give up in F1.

If Fernando had retired on the last lap, we would have been fighting for the lead. Obviously the team wanted the points for the world championship – and they got them – but so did I.

The team was worried about Seb and me crashing into each other and we proved that we can race without doing that.

I don't want to crash into anyone, be it my teammate or my compatriot Daniel Ricciardo, who, incidentally, finished his first grand prix in the Hispania, which is great for him.

It's now time to look forward to the German Grand Prix in two weeks time.

The Nurburgring is where I won my first grand prix in 2009 and I always enjoy driving at the track.

Like Silverstone, it has a lot of history – particularly the 22km Nordschleife that lies adjacent to the modern racetrack and around which I drove a lot of laps when I raced for Mercedes in sportscars – and the fans there enjoy their motorsport.

There's always a good atmosphere and I'm sure Seb will get a lot of home support.

The race is sure to be another exciting one and it's difficult to predict which teams will be fighting for victory.

Lewis pushed Seb over the line in Spain and Fernando has been very quick at the last couple of races. It'll be close, which is what the fans want to see. I'm looking forward to it!

Source: Herald Sun

Videos: Sebastian Vettel plays 'Smoke on the Water' on guitar at British GP 2011

Sebastian Vettel playing Smoke on the Water on guitar at the British Grand Prix 2011 after party





Source: Youtube

Sebastian Vettel F1 Blog: Silverstone | 'Could have been better'

On the face of it, a second and third place for Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber is a good result, but is Seb entirely satisfied with his British Grand Prix? The world champion reveals all in his latest blog

by Sebastian Vettel on Jul 11, 2011

Hello everyone!

One thing is clear this morning: the race could have been better. But I don’t like to get into the "what if?" scenarios, so I’m reasonably happy with second place.

My second pit stop wasn't anywhere near perfect, but these things can happen. All I saw was that something wasn't fixed properly on my left back wheel and the guys had to pull the car back in to fix it. That's where we lost our precious time.

By the time I was back on the track there was a big gap between me and the guys in front. All I could do was put the pedal to the metal and come as close as I could. A bit more rain might have helped me because that's where I felt most comfortable, but second place is OK.

'We'll make sure that it won't happen again'

We know we made a mistake and we'll make sure that it won't happen again. The worst thing that we can do is to let a mistake get to us so we’ll just move on and keep on working hard.

The fact that the car was so fast and reliable is a bonus, but it won't affect the way we'll approach the next races. You need to prove yourself on every single track and when you’re racing, the last result doesn't matter.

I've said it before, the most important thing for we drivers is to make sure discussions and talk coming from outside the garage doesn’t distract us from the one thing that should always be our focus: racing.

I'll talk to you from Germany!

All the best,

Seb

Source: Red Bull

Horner to hold 'private' talks with Mark Webber

Mark Webber can expect a stern talking to from Christian Horner after the Red Bull driver admitted to ignoring team orders in Britain

Webber was ordered by his team not to take the fight to team-mate Sebastian Vettel after closing up on the German in the final few laps of Sunday's race at Silverstone.

The pole-sitter was not happy with the team's decision, admitting he "ignored" it for as long as possible.

"I am not fine with it, no. That is the answer to that," Webber said. "If Fernando (Alonso) retires on the last lap, we are fighting for the win.

"Of course I ignored the team because I wanted to try and get a place. Seb was doing his best, I was doing my best. I wasn't going to crash with anyone.

"I try to do my best with the amount of one way conversation I was having - I was trying to do my best to pass the guy in front."

But while Webber was not happy with the team's call, Horner was even less impressed upon hearing of his driver's dissent.

Asked by Autosport if he was 'surprised' Webber ignored direct orders, Horner said: "Yes. At the end of the day the team is the biggest thing, and no individual is bigger than the team.

"I can understand Mark's frustration in that, but had it been the other way around it would have been exactly the same.

"It happened a couple of years ago in Turkey when exactly the same thing happened with Sebastian, so it makes no sense from a team point of view to risk both of your cars. It was obvious that neither was going to concede.

"And, as we saw with (Felipe) Massa and (Lewis) Hamilton at the last corner, who very nearly made contact, it made no sense from a team point of view to allow them to continue to fight over those last couple of laps.

"Mark obviously chose to ignore that and didn't make the pass in any event, but that is the team's position."

The Aussie is now on course for a intense talk with his team boss in which Horner is most likely to express his dissatisfaction.

"It is something that he and I will talk about in private," Horner said.

He again defended the team's decision, adamant that extending their lead - although already considerable - in both Championships was a must for Red Bull Racing.

"I made it quite clear in the drivers' briefing this morning in front of the engineers, that the biggest thing today was about getting a team result in front of all of the staff who put in so much effort into both of those cars, for the Constructors' Championship and the Drivers' Championship.

"Now both drivers have come away with Sebastian having extended his lead in the World Championship, Mark having moved into second in the World Championship and the team having increased its lead in the Constructors' Championship.

"At the end of the day, the team Championship is every bit as important as the Drivers' Championship to us. And we risked giving away 33 points today in the last three laps by allowing our drivers to fight it out.

"As we have seen previously, that can have dire consequences. We said okay, we have allowed them to race up until that point and, with three laps to go, rather than risk both of them being in the fence, it was the right decision."

Source: Planet-F1

Video: Fernando Alonso lose truck of driver's parade at Silverstone

Fernando Alonso lose driver's parade because was driving the Ferrari 375 F1 at British Grand Prix 2011



Source: MmotorsportTV

Felipe Massa rues damaged floor

Felipe Massa said a damaged floor may have cost him time on his way to fifth place in the British Grand Prix.

Massa started fourth but lost out to Jenson Button off the line, and having cleared one McLaren he was then jumped by the other of Lewis Hamilton in the pit stops. With Fernando Alonso going on to win the race, Massa said he felt Ferrari had made improvements but that his less competitive pace could be down to damaged sustained early in the race.

"I think we have made a step forward this weekend in terms of performance, both in qualifying and the race," Massa said. "It's true my pace wasn't amazing today, but that could have had something to do with the fact my floor was damaged, after I hit something at Turn 6; maybe a part from another car. In terms of the strategy, maybe we could brought forward the second stop a bit, but the team did not want me to end up having to complete the final part of the race on tyres that were too worn.

"In the end, I closed right up to Hamilton, as he was struggling, but when I was behind him, he fought and I only just missed out by a fraction on getting past him. We have to continue to push on the development of the car: there are many races still ahead of us and having improved the car means we can feel more confident about the second half of the season."

Source: ESPNF1

Vettel: Alonso, Ferrari deserved to win

Sebastian Vettel: At the [second] pit stop we had a problem – the car was already back on the floor, but then we had to lift it back up again. By then I had lost the lead and came out in third...

A less than 'optimum' performance prevented Sebastian Vettel from winning the F1 2011 British Grand Prix today - although team orders did help ensure he took second.

Vettel dominated in the early stages and was looking well set to take yet another victory. However a slow second stop – when the rear jack failed – cost him around 11 seconds and when he rejoined he was down in third and stuck behind Lewis Hamilton. Although he eventually got the jump on the McLaren man, by successfully stopping early for the third and final time on lap 36 to get the undercut, by then he had already lost too much ground to Fernando Alonso.

He eventually finished more than 15 seconds adrift of the Ferrari, coming under considerable pressure near the finish from Mark Webber, at least until the Aussie was instructed to 'hold station'.

Despite 'only' finishing second though, Vettel still stretches his lead in the drivers' championship and he will now go to the Nurburgring in two weeks time with an 80-point cushion – the equivalent to more than three race victories.

“I had an excellent start and with hindsight I wouldn't have minded if there had been more rain because I really liked the conditions when we were racing on the intermediate tyres,” Vettel said post-race. “We seemed to be in very good shape and I was pulling away. We probably waited a little bit too long to go onto the dry tyres, but it was right as there was no need for us to take a risk and we were in control.

“At the [second] pit stop we had a problem – the car was already back on the floor, but then we had to lift it back up again. By then I had lost the lead and came out in third. I struggled to pass Lewis, I thought I could go much quicker, but I never really had the chance. Once I was very close, but it didn't work.

“We got him at the [final] pit stop, but by then Fernando was already gone. It was a good result for us [though], but we had some problems and, if you're not at your optimum, then there's always someone there to beat you. Ferrari was very quick all weekend and they deserved the victory today.”

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner meanwhile defended the decision to enforce team orders, noting that it made 'absolute sense to consolidate a big haul of points'.

“After a very interesting race that initially started very well for us on the intermediate tyres, second and third is still a very strong result at this circuit, considering everything that has gone on this weekend,” Horner stated.

“Unfortunately we had a rear jack failure on Sebastian's second pit stop, which cost him a lot of time in the pits and dropped him behind Fernando. Having said that, Fernando was very fast today, but at least we would have had the track position going into the latter stint. Having run second early on, Mark had an issue at his second pit stop, but he managed to re-pass Hamilton with a brave move into Turn six. In the closing laps and with the two cars going wheel to wheel, from a team point of view it made absolute sense to consolidate a big haul of points today and not risk having both cars in the fence, which nearly happened to Lewis and Felipe [Massa] on the last corner.

“From a team point of view it's been a very strong day – we gained 33 points and both drivers are now first and second in the Drivers' Championship. On the exhaust issue, hopefully we have now achieved clarity on this and can draw a line under it going forward,” Horner concluded.

Source: Crash.net

Video: BBC - Silverstone win 'nice surprise' for Fernando Alonso

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso believes upgrades to the car - not modifications to the rules - helped him win the British Grand Prix, a victory he describes as a "total surprise".

The Spaniard says the "special win" will be a huge motivation for him during the rest of the season, but says Sebastian Vettel may be too far ahead in the title race.



Source: SixtyBuckss

Hamilton: That's as close as it gets

Lewis Hamilton reckons that's as "close as it's going to get" after beating Felipe Massa to fourth place by 0.024s at Silverstone

Hamilton had appeared to be on track for a podium finish at his home grand prix as he was lapping in third place ahead of Mark Webber with nine laps to go.

However, the Brit was then informed by his team that he did not have enough fuel to finish the race and need to converse fuel.

It was a blow to the McLaren driver's hopes as he could do little to defend against Webber, who was cruising up behind. The Aussie easily took P3 off Hamilton.

The attacks, though, didn't stop there as just two laps from the end of the race, Hamilton came under pressure from Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

Doing everything he could to keep the Ferrari at bay, Hamilton was finally informed on the final lap that he could push. But, by that stage, Massa was right there.

The duo had an intense and thrilling battle for fourth place, which even resulted in them touching and pieces of Hamilton's bodywork flying off his car.

The Brit, though, held on to finish P4, securing a much-needed 12 World Championship points.

"That was as close as it's going to get. It was crazy," Hamilton told the BBC.

"First of all, the team did a fantastic job with all the pit stops.

"Coming here today, knowing the support we had, I've never seen so many people here.

"The support is far greater than any other driver gets anywhere else. I felt it spurring me on.

"I had a good start, made some places up but unfortunately towards end I had to save fuel. I had to give Webber his position.

"Then on the last lap they said now you can push and I was like 'thanks, after I'd let him catch me up' but I was not giving him that position."

Source: Planet-F1

British GP: Alonso Is The King Of Britain

Fernando Alonso won the British Grand Prix thanks to an improved Ferrari, a slow McLaren and a dismal Red Bull pit stop

The Spaniard lined up in third place on the grid behind the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel and after the first lap was still third, although behind Webber, who was overtaken by Vettel at the start.

With the track drying a battle panned out between Webber, Alonso and the fast-approaching Lewis Hamilton. All the while they trio fought, Vettel led.

But it wasn't until lap 28 that the chinks began to show in the Red Bull armour when Vettel came in for his second stop of the afternoon.

His mechanics had a problem with their wheel gun and by the time they put on Vettel's new rubber and got him out of the pits, Alonso and Hamilton were up to first and second

Vettel was then held up badly by Hamilton for several laps and lost time lap by lap to Alonso. However, Vettel had better pace and after the next stops worked his way up into second place.

With Alonso scampering into the distance and vettel entrenched in second, disaster befell Jenson Button. He came in for his final stop on lap 40 and never quite got out as his mechanics did not put his front wheel on properly. He stopped at the end of the pits and retired.

But McLaren's woes were not over as Hamilton was running out fuel. He had to back off on his challenge from Vettel, was overtaken by Webber and came under attack from Massa as they fought for P4. At the same time, Webber was all over the back of Vettel in the battle for second.

And as Alonso crossed the line for Ferrari's first win since Korea last year, Webber was told to hold station but Massa, of course, was not.

He took P4 off Hamilton only to get a massive whack from the McLaren driver, who retook the position. Massa fought back, ran wide and Hamilton brought his MP4-26, sans a bit of bodywork, home in fourth place.

Results
01. Alonso Ferrari 1h28:41.194
02. Vettel Red Bull-Renault + 16.511
03. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 16.947
04. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes + 28.986
05. Massa Ferrari + 29.010
06. Rosberg Mercedes + 1:00.665
07. Perez Sauber-Ferrari + 1:05.590
08. Heidfeld Renault + 1:15.542
09. Schumacher Mercedes + 1:17.912
10. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1:19.108
11. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 1:19.712
12. Petrov Renault + 1:20.600
13. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth -1
14. Maldonado Williams-Cosworth -1
15. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes -1
16. Glock Virgin-Cosworth -2
17. D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth -2
18. Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth -2
19. Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth -3
Button McLaren-Mercedes -11
Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari -26
Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari -28
Trulli Lotus-Renault -41
Kovalainen Lotus-Renault -49

Source: Planet-F1

Video: BBC - British GP - Ferrari's Fernando Alonso calls diffuser row 'boring'

Fernando Alonso calls the row between teams over blown diffusers "boring" and reveals he feels sorry for the fans who just want to see good on-track action.

The double world champion qualified third for the British Grand Prix and says he hopes to be able to push the Red Bulls all the way in the race.



Source: SixtyBuckss

Fifth 'just about okay' for Button at British GP 2011

Jenson Button: Today was a bit of a topsy-turvy day. The balance of our car wasn't great, and it's always difficult when you find out at the last minute what you're running: it isn't a matter of a mere flick of a switch to change things

Jenson Button was disappointed following qualifying for the F1 2011 British Grand Prix today, although he felt fifth wasn't too bad considering how McLaren seemed to come out worse following late changes to the rules on engines.

Although it now looks like the matter might be resolved for the next race, with the FIA set to drop its ban on off-throttle blown diffusers providing there is unanimous agreement, that will come as scant consolation to Button, who was hoping to perform on home soil and get onto the podium at this event for the very first time.

“Today was a bit of a topsy-turvy day. The balance of our car wasn't great, and it's always difficult when you find out at the last minute what you're running: it isn't a matter of a mere flick of a switch to change things,” Button explained.

“For some teams, the tightening of the regulations helped; but it hurt others. So I guess fifth place feels just about okay after what we've been through in the past few days. Hopefully, we can still take the fight to the guys in front at our home grand prix, and give the famous Silverstone crowd something to shout about.”

Team-mate Lewis Hamilton meanwhile struggled even more in the sister car and while he did get through to the shoot-out, in the end he had to settle for a lowly tenth place on the grid.

“I enjoyed the changeable weather conditions today, but it's disappointing to have ended up so far behind,” Hamilton added. “For Q3, we fitted a used set of Options for our first run when the others ran new tyres, and that hurt our performance. Then, when we fitted new tyres for the final run, it started raining so I couldn't improve my time.

“I think there are a couple of guys in front of me who ought to be slower than me, so I'll do my best to make progress in the early laps even though overtaking here is difficult. I hope we can still have an exciting race, but it'll be tricky. I guess I'll be hoping for rain tomorrow to increase my chances of getting a good result.

“Nevertheless, the fans here are the best in the world – they're sensational in fact – and they'll spur me on in the race. I really hope I can do something special for them tomorrow.”

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh was similarly frustrated: “Clearly, we'd intended to qualify better than fifth and 10th for our home grand prix, so inevitably today's qualifying session was a disappointing one,” he continued. “It's been a difficult day, blighted by a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in relation to the regulations, and compromised by equally changeable weather conditions.

“That combination made things difficult for everyone, and the shape of tomorrow's grid was always likely to be tricky to predict as a result.

“But tomorrow is what really matters, and in Jenson and Lewis we've got two of the most skilful and most combative racers in the sport today. I know how dearly they'd love to be able to put on a good show in front of the most knowledgeable and most supportive spectators in F1, and you can be absolutely certain that they'll be giving it 100 per cent as soon as the five red lights go out on the startline gantry at 1.00pm tomorrow – and so will everyone else at McLaren.”

Source: Crash.net

Hamilton undone by McLaren's weather men

Not for the first time - and probably not the last - Lewis Hamilton's qualifying quest was damaged by his team's inability to read the weather

In Q1, with the rain coming down harder and harder, McLaren for some reason opted to send Hamilton out on a fresh set of option tyres. The end result was one dismal lap, a return to the pits and a waste of a set of tyres.

This move effectively damaged Hamilton's chances of securing a solid qualifying position as in Q3, when he needed fresh tyres, he was forced to do his first run on a used set.

And when he did finally head out on a new set of options for his last attempt the rain once again came down.

The Brit qualified P10 for his home grand prix at Silverstone, 1.977s behind pole-sitter Mark Webber.

"I enjoyed the changeable weather conditions today, but it's disappointing to have ended up so far behind," the 2008 World Champ said.

"For Q3, we fitted a used set of Options for our first run when the others ran new tyres, and that hurt our performance.

"Then, when we fitted new tyres for the final run, it started raining so I couldn't improve my time."

Hamilton, though, is hoping for a better showing on Sunday afternoon, confident he can make up ground on those ahead of him. However, he admits a bit of rain would help.

"I think there are a couple of guys in front of me who ought to be slower than me, so I'll do my best to make progress in the early laps even though overtaking here is difficult.

"I hope we can still have an exciting race, but it'll be tricky.

"I guess I'll be hoping for rain tomorrow to increase my chances of getting a good result.

"Nevertheless, the fans here are the best in the world - they're sensational in fact - and they'll spur me on in the race. I really hope I can do something special for them tomorrow."

Source: Planet-F1

Video: BBC - Vettel ignoring diffuser talk ahead of British GP 2011

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel says the row over blown diffusers is "a shame", and believes weather and tyre choice will play a more important role during the British Grand Prix.

Vettel will start from second on the grid after what he calls a "tricky session" due to the variable weather conditions, and says he "doesn't care" what the weather is like during the race at Silverstone.



Source: SixtyBuckss

Webber: Not a reply to 'nonsense' changes

Mark Webber says forget about the constant rule changes, he just wants to race, and he's sure that's what the fans want as well

This weekend's British GP has been dogged by controversy as the FIA have opted to alter the rules. And not once, they've done it twice.

In the build up to the Silverstone race, the teams were informed that off-throttle blown diffusers would be banned.

However, they were given a bit of leeway and could open the throttle up to a maximum 10 to 20 percent.

Red Bull, together with Renault, approached the FIA on Friday and were granted concession whereby they could open the throttle 50 percent in order to ensure reliability.

But overnight that was withdrawn and the Red Bull team woke up Saturday morning to be informed that they would have to stick to the maximum 10 to 20 percent that all the teams were limited to.

And although team boss Christian Horner was quick to proclaim that his drivers would be "running at a disadvantage compared to other manufacturers", that was not the case in qualifying where Webber secured pole by 0.032s over Sebastian Vettel.

Asked about the rule change issues during the post-qualifying press conference, the Aussie made it clear that he thinks.

"It's nonsense. Nobody really understands it. We don't know what's going on," said the 34-year-old.

"It's very boring for the fans. I am sure only 0.1 percent of the fans understand what's going on.

"Let's get on with the racing and keep the rules as simple as we can.

"Seb and I have just to concentrate on the driving.

"It is not new for our team - adjustable ride height control, front wing and nothing new - every year we have a new thing to talk about.

"Let's hope everyone can find someone common ground.

Asked whether his pole position was a way for Red Bull to 'reply' to the new rules, Webber insisted the one had nothing to do with the other.

"No, it is not. We are not looking to reply to anything. What has to be reiterated is that our team has turned up very, very early and left very, very late. Every team works hard but this team works incredibly hard.

"We concentrate on that, what is happening in the last few months is not what we have done in the last few months, it is years of work to put ourselves in this situation.

"We have seen today that we are still going okay, but irrespective of lap times it is an interpretation of rules and principles.

"Whether we are on pole or 10th, the team will continue to have a stance on what is correct. It is not a comeback from what we had today."

Source: Planet-F1

Qualifying: Webber Takes Pole From Vettel at British GP 2011

Off-throttle blown diffuser ban or not, Red Bull Racing had the 1-2 in qualifying for the British GP with Mark Webber on pole

In tricky conditions with the track mainly dry but wet in a few places, Webber put the diffuser row, which Christian Horner says will "disadvantage" his team, to the back of his mind.

The Aussie, concentrating on just the job at hand, crossed the line with a 1:30.399 to beat his team-mate Sebastian Vettel by 0.032s.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa were next in line, ahead of British pair Jenson Button and Paul di Resta.

As for the other Brit, Lewis Hamilton, he qualified P10 after finishing 0.197s behind Webber.

Times
01. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m30.399
02. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m30.431 + 0.032
03. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m30.516 + 0.117
04. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m31.124 + 0.725
05. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.989 + 1.590
06. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m31.929 + 1.530
07. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Cosworth 1m31.933 + 1.534
08. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m32.128 + 1.729
09. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m32.209 + 1.810
10. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m32.376 + 1.977
11. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m32.617 + 0.977
12. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m32.624 + 0.984
13. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m32.656 + 1.016
14. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1m32.734 + 1.094
15. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1m33.119 + 1.479
16. Nick Heidfeld Renault 1m33.805 + 2.165
17. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m34.821 + 3.181
18. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m35.245 + 2.575
19. Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m35.749 + 3.079
20. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 1m36.203 + 3.533
21. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Renault 1m36.456 + 3.786
22. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m37.154 + 4.484
23. Tonio Liuzzi HRT-Cosworth 1m37.484 + 4.814
24. Daniel Ricciardo HRT-Cosworth 1m38.059 + 5.389

Source: Planet-F1

Massa unfazed by exit rumours

Felipe Massa will not let speculation over his future prevent him from aiming to produce a vintage Ferrari performance in the British GP

The 30-year-old Brazilian has been with the Italian team - with whom he was a test driver eight years ago - since 2006, and showed great promise when finishing third in his first season and then second in the 2008 Drivers' Championship.

Nevertheless, reports persist that Massa is set to be replaced, with McLaren's Jenson Button a possible target.

Massa, though, as the man currently in possession of one of the sport's glamour drives, has never given the idea a second thought.

"When you drive for a top team like Ferrari, you always have the pressure," said Massa, who was in Knightsbridge, Londony to officially open Ferrari's latest Atelier at prestigious 5-star luxury hotel The Berkeley, managed by HR Owen, where clients will be invited to personally tailor their Ferrari.

"It is a team which many people are watching and supporting, so it is normal that you have more pressure - but I think most of the drivers would like to have this kind of pressure, to be racing for Ferrari, so that is a good pressure."

Despite there being plenty of home focus from British Formula One fans this weekend, Massa maintains Ferrari always look forward to their visit.

"Silverstone is a great track, and one of the most famous races," he said.

"We really enjoy to come here. Even if there are some British teams, people really support Ferrari.

"Maybe we will see some showers around, but hopefully we can have a good weekend and be competitive."

Massa has now recovered from what was a serious crash suffered at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, after which he needed a titanium plate inserted into his skull to race again.

The South American believes that incident helped put everything else into perspective.

He said: "It has not affected me from a driving point of view, because you try to go to the limit, sometimes past.

"Outside, in my life, it has made me appreciate and respect things even more."

Massa thrilled the crowds with victories at Interlagos in 2006 - the first Brazilian to do so since the late Ayrton Senna in 1993 - and again in 2008.

The Ferrari driver feels both Button and Lewis Hamilton can use the hype which is about to engulf the Northamptonshire circuit to their own advantage.

"It is always good to race at home. You have a lot more pressure, but are also pushed more from the people around," he said.

"Whenever I go to Brazil, it is great. The people are very warm, really expecting you to be fighting, so for me it is always exciting to be racing at home."

Massa rejected suggestions Sebastian Vettel's dominance for Red Bull meant the 2011 Drivers' Championship was already a foregone conclusion.

"He has a big difference, but we will not give up. We will fight," said Massa, currently in sixth place - more than 100 points off the pace.

"Sebastian had a great Championship until now, so we will try our best to be in front of him and the other drivers as well.

"We never give up and are always pushing our car race by race to be in front."

Source: Planet-F1

Sebastian Vettel sets sights on second golden Silverstone moment

German was disappointed he could not walk away with the trophy after last year's triumph – but is still after another win

Sebastian Vettel is preparing for the British Grand Prix on Sunday but he is still waiting for something tangible to remind him of his victory at Silverstone in 2009, when – as is traditional – he was not allowed to walk away with the trophy, a golden prize not unlike the one held aloft by Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon three days ago.

"Yes, the golden one. I was very surprised because I thought I would be able to take it home with me," Vettel said on Wednesday. "But I had to give it back straight away. I couldn't even take it off the podium.

"So I asked if I could have a replica and they were like: 'What do you mean?' It turns out I was the first ever to ask for a replica. So it was quite a struggle. And I still haven't got it."

Vettel, even when he is surrounded by the uniquely egocentric world of Top Gear, exudes a quiet modesty. The Formula One world champion – and this year's champion-elect – had just completed filming with the BBC at Dunsfold aerodrome for this weekend's show when he was asked whether he attempted to model himself on his idol, Michael Schumacher, or whether he tried to distance himself from the sport's pantomime villain. The man who has made the best start ever to a Formula One season, by winning six of the first eight races and coming second in the other two, smiled with a quiet assurance. "Generally, I'm not trying to do anything consciously. I am who I am," he said. And smiled again. "I am not trying just to look good or avoid something happening. I feel very fortunate to be in the position I am."

Asked if it is possible to dominate, as he has with nine wins in 12 races, and still be nice, he said: "There are two sides. There is no reason why outside the car you have to be a bastard. If you always have been, then that is you. If people don't like it, that is how it is. It is not right to fake being a nice guy. I am who I am and I am not trying to be someone who I am not. If I could do that I would be an actor.

"I'm trying to achieve something. I have my target. I know what it takes. Next to that there are things which other people would like you to do or achieve. But you cannot please everyone. Unfortunately there will always be some people offended by what you do – for instance, with the finger – but that's how it is." He was referring to the raised forefinger – like an umpire giving a batsman out – which he uses to salute yet another pole or race victory.

So is this a different Vettel from the one who became Formula One's youngest champion last year? Last year he won the prize at the last gasp but this year pole position and the chequered flag appear to come easily. "I don't arrive like that. Obviously, when we arrive we are confident and we believe in ourselves. And we believe that we can have a good weekend. But I can't take it for granted to arrive and say pole, race. It never comes easy.

"My biggest dream was to become Formula One world champion. No one can take this away from me, from us, any more. Whatever happens in the future this will always be there."

According to the Red Bull designer Adrian Newey it is Vettel's intelligence that sets him apart from other drivers. "We've got cars covered in sensors and data recorders and so forth. And that tells you what the car's doing. But it doesn't tell you why it's doing it. Seb's got a very good feel for the tyres, for the dynamics, for the car. He also has this intelligence.

"When you start off, in karting and the junior formulas, you don't need a lot of technical understanding. You just drive by the seat of your pants. As you start to move up the formulas, and ultimately reach the top, to be one of the all-time greats you need to be pretty bright. If you look at Ayrton, Schumacher, Prost – that's my era – they've all been very bright, very determined and hard-working. And Seb's the same.

"You need that combo, of being hugely gifted, genetically if you like, but also hard-working and bright and able to verbalise what the car's doing. And that's Seb. He's very analytical."

Source: Guardian