Motorsport: Sniping at team mate all part of the big game hype

Mark Webber with Sebastian Vettel. Photo / Getty Images

Mark Webber sounds as if he is almost expecting another falling out with F1 team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

The Red Bull pilots clashed repeatedly in 2010, and were barely on speaking terms as the title race intensified at the back end of the season.

There were plenty who believed the Austrian-backed team was favouring the German wunderkind Vettel, and Australia's Webber made his feelings public with his memorable "Not bad for a No 2 driver" outburst after winning at Silverstone.

But as he gears up for the Melbourne Grand Prix next weekend, Webber told the Herald on Sunday it was just part of the game.

"It was nearly normal what happened between me and Sebastian last year," reflects Webber. "It only happens every 10 years or so that two guys from the same garage are going neck and neck at the top and generally it always ends in a breakdown in relationships.

"I think we have done well considering what happened."

Webber makes a valid point. Think of the nasty feud between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, with the drivers refusing to speak to each other and Alonso leaving the team at the end of that season.

Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell's simmering hatred just got worse when they joined forces at Williams in 1986, while Aryton Senna and Alain Prost collided frequently on and off the track while together at McLaren.

Webber says they cooperated well at the recent testing (where they had to share one car) and "things are good - at the moment" between the duo.

"In the end it is probably credit to both of us that there is still a relationship there off the back of what happened last year.

"At the end of the day, the team got exactly what they wanted in terms of one of us winning the championship. I hope we will be rivals again this year. It is a good problem to have and that's what being a competitor is all about."

Webber does not seem the unfriendly type, but it is hard to see them swapping Christmas cards, and the 24-year-old Vettel is just another obstacle to overcome.

"I don't really care how people are getting on too much and that is what happened at the end of last year. It was such an intense battle. If you are going there to try and make friends you are not going to be hanging around for too long."

In 2010, Webber chalked up four wins and 10 podiums and led the standings for a significant portion of the season. In hindsight, he believes his relative lack of experience at that altitude was a major hurdle.

"Clearly it was new to me being in the middle of the championship fight," says Webber. "Generally it is not so much the driving side of things that is the most difficult part. There may be a little more composure you might have gained through different experiences in the cockpit but 80 per cent is outside the car."

Webber describes constant, almost non-stop media attention, especially with the huge packs from Spain, Germany and England naturally aligned with respective rivals Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton.

"Unfortunately there was not the same amount of intensity [from Australia] pouring the heat on my opposition rivals - all part of the learning curve I guess."

Webber says he took about a week to get over the disappointment of what transpired at the end of 2010.

"It was one fourth place that cost me, but that's sport. It was a very rewarding year but I couldn't put on icing on the cake, which was extremely disappointing. Seb led the championship in one race and that was the right race."

Webber is confident he can handle the increased pressure and expectations this year.

"I've got to keep all the good things I did last year and work on the areas I can improve on. I need to have a better start to the year and keep the non-finishes to a minimum."

"People will have an opinion - they will think it is another failure if I don't win the title. But there would be no one on the grid if there was only one guy that could win and the rest of us don't turn up. Right now I'm focused on the first race and if I can be in the hunt again at the last part, then we will go from there."

Gains made by Ferrari and McLaren may negate some of the advantages that Red Bull enjoyed, particularly in the early part of 2010.

Webber admits his team are "a bit anxious" about the performance of the cars this year, and he noted what happened to 2008 champion Hamilton, who took 12 races the following season to return to the podium.

It is predicted there will be a lot more pit stops, with the new Pirelli tyres on each car, though thankfully Bernie Ecclestone's bizarre track watering idea has gained about as much traction as it deserved.

Meanwhile, Webber was pleased with the efforts of young Kiwi driver Mitch Evans, who will race for his MW Arden team this year, in his debut GP3 test recently.

"I was really happy with how he went," says Webber. "There were very positive impressions from the team and Mitch went back having learned so much. Dealing with the ups and downs is going to be the biggest challenge in his first year away from home."