Webber: “Now I will race on par with Vettel”

Mark Webber enjoys his victory at the British GP and asks Red Bull for equal treatment with Sebastian Vettel.

With two victories in 2012, the Australian is Fernando Alonso's closest challenger for the title, and has a 16-point lead over the world champion. It's a similar situation to that seen in 2010 but then the 35-year-old didn't feel supported by the team and now he's asking that the same situation not happen. “The victory at Silverstone is not bad for a second driver”, Webber said with a hint of venom at the awards ceremony, whose qualities are nevertheless appreciated by many rivals, Ferrari in the lead. However, the Australian insists that things will be different in 2012. “They know that this year's championship is so open that we don't have the luxury of seeing how the season could unfold if we focus our energy and effort on just one car.”, he explained to Melbourne newspaper The Age. “I think I enjoy the same benefits as a first driver that Vettel has, I believe it, actually I know it for sure".

Austrian team consultant Helmut Marko told German Sport Bild: “There will be no team orders, the drivers can race freely”. And team principal Christian Horner added: “Having both riders competing for the title, it's good to have them both excited and fighting”. But with the German so close to his rival teammate, there is no doubt that in Milton Keynes they favor the two aces in the same way and the German has always been seen as the darling who was born from the youth academy , the one who fully embodies the spirit of Red Bull. Seen like this, it could be a good omen for Alonso and Ferrari: in 2007, with the roles reversed, the internal disagreement between the Spaniard and Lewis Hamilton led to Kimi Raikkonen winning the title with the Red.

Lorena Bianchi