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But overnight that was withdrawn and the Red Bull team woke up Saturday morning to be informed that they would have to stick to the maximum 10 to 20 percent that all the teams were limited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

Video: BBC F1 2011 - Lewis Hamilton bullish about his chances in Monaco Grand Prix

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton believes this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix is his "best chance so far" of getting ahead of Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, as "a driver can make more of a difference" around the principality's circuit than on other tracks



Source: FiftyBuckss

Webber won't take his foot off the gas

Mark Webber is adamant that he is only thinking of victories between now and the end of the season, despite his 14-point lead in the drivers' championship.

The Red Bull star insists that he will not rest on his laurels, and that nothing less than wins will be good enough in the final three races, starting with the inaugural Korean Grand Prix next weekend.

"No, I can't think like that [about playing the percentages]," Webber said. "It won't be enough. I need to keep racing hard and going for victories.

"Clearly, of course, if my rivals have a rough weekend it makes it a bit harder for them and it gives me a bit more scope, but I'm not looking to abuse that because it can all go pear-shaped very fast.

"Having a lead is great, but it only counts when you get to the last race and we haven't got there yet, have we?"

The Australian played down his chances by claiming that he does not see himself as the favourite for the title. "It makes no difference to me to be in the lead," he said. "We all have to go there and see the track and get on with the job and it is the same for everyone. I may be in the lead, by a few points, but I don't think I am the favourite.

"I think we're all pretty even. It can change pretty quickly - in a good way or a bad way for me. It's on a knife-edge, but I'm very relaxed. It's another race for me.

"I'll give nothing, leave no change on the table and do the best I can. The points will look after themselves. Like I said, you need to be leading the championship at the last race, not now."

Source: ESPNF1

Fry: title not lost for Schumacher

Mercedes GP CEO Nick Fry insists that Michael Schumacher is still able to challenge for the 2010 title, despite being 75 points and the exact equivalent of three race wins off the Drivers' Championship lead following the first eight rounds of the season.

Halfway through next weekend's European Grand Prix, F1 will hit the half distance point for the 2010 campaign, with Schumacher having made his return in Bahrain three months ago.

However, despite being hit by a run of helpless misfortunes early in the season, critics have slammed 7-time Champion's latest Montreal performance.

Notably, ex team-mate turned BBC television pundit Martin Brundle labelled the Canadian Grand Prix as the German's 'worst ever' - an agreed feeling with on-screen colleague Eddie Jordan, whose team presented Schumacher with a first F1 drive in 1991. Despite the heavy criticism, though, Fry defends his driver.

"I'm surprised people have reached those conclusions," he told The Guardian on Wednesday. "He was in a good position until the puncture but, when something like that happens, you get out of sequence.

"We also put him on the Option (softer compound) tyre slightly earlier than we maybe should have done, otherwise he would have been able to defend better than he did, but certainly from inside the team we see things in a totally different perspective.

"We don't really see any significant difference in performance between Nico (Rosberg) and Michael - one is getting the breaks and the other isn't at the moment.

"In sport, what goes around comes around. For those who have a run of luck, that frequently comes to an end and the opposite happens. So we're very comfortable with Michael's performance and I can't see any reason why he won't come good. He continues to improve and he is going make a good job of it."

Asked if title chances are shelved for this year, Fry's response was clear: "Absolutely not. It's all part of the learning process. I think he, and we as a team, will continue to work hard this year and do the best we can. We still want to be in the top three. Red Bull and McLaren are fairly dominant but Ferrari have had a mixed season."

Source: GP Update