• Home
• /
• F1

Webber calls on Red Bull for consistency

On a bitterly cold day following icy hail-storms, Webber and his rivals were forced to wrap up in heavy pullovers as they settled in at the Shanghai International Circuit in preparation for Sunday’s 56-lap race.

But that did not stop the ambitious Aussie from pushing his team for more performance in a bid to make their early-season superiority count before the F1 circus returns to Europe next month.

“We have a unique team here and they have done brilliantly so far to recover off some tough weekends and deliver — but now the momentum needs to start building up, and pretty quickly,” said Webber.

“We are taking on the big manufacturer teams like Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes and the rest and I think we do a sensational job. It is a real credit to the team the way we do that and have recovered.

“We know the spirit in the team and the chemistry is special and now we have to build on that and what we have done so far and push on again.”

Webber, 33, who started from pole position in the Malaysian Grand Prix two weeks ago, came home second behind his Red Bull team-mate German Sebastian Vettel, 22, but now wants to reverse those positions to kick-start his own race for the driver’s title.

“It’s not easy, but I know what I’ve got to do and that includes our team performance and me trying to get the better of Seb,” he said. “I’ve just got to go out there and get on with it.”

Webber dismissed a variety of fanciful rumours suggesting he was considering retirement earlier this season and showed his vim for his job is just as strong as ever with his showing in Sepang.

“I’ve never given it a thought and I don’t know where these things come from,” he said.

Asked about the main contenders and rivals this year, he said: “I think Ferrari and McLaren are both really strong and for me it is three teams already. Mercedes are doing OK, but for me it is Red Bull and those other two who are most consistent at the moment in delivering the pace.”