Lack of trust between drivers: Horner
Red Bull team principal defends Vettel after Malaysian GP fiasco.
Horner says the team has been managing a lack of trust between team drivers Vettel and Webber since Istanbul in 2010. PHOTO: AFP
Christian Horner admits Red Bull have their work cut out as there is a lack of trust between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber after the incident at the Malaysian Grand Prix, according to ESPNF1.
Vettel ignored team orders and overtook Webber to clinch Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. He has since faced criticism for the move and has also left a question mark over Webber’s future with the team.
Horner, however, defended the world champion by saying had Webber been in a similar situation, he would have done the same.
“They’re both competitive guys, they both race each other hard,” Horner told Sky Sports. “There has been a breakdown of trust ever since Istanbul; it’s something that we’ve had to manage since 2010 but the most important thing is that they do have a respect for each other when they race each other on track.
“What happened on Sunday was unfortunate but let’s not pretend it hasn’t happened the other way round or in other teams. If Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton had been in that position, they’d have done the same.
“If Mark Webber had been in that position we’ve seen him do the same. So let’s not kid ourselves that this is something that is unique to Sebastian, this is something that is in any competitive driver’s DNA.”
Horner also dismissed speculation about Webber contemplating quitting the team saying he would remain it for the rest of the season.
“Mark knows there was no conspiracy within the team at the weekend,” he said. “We gave him the priority. Our intention was to shut the race down, to minimise the risk – particularly with the tyre deg that we’d seen – to see out that race, and it was the intent of the team that Mark would win that race.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.
Vettel ignored team orders and overtook Webber to clinch Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. He has since faced criticism for the move and has also left a question mark over Webber’s future with the team.
Horner, however, defended the world champion by saying had Webber been in a similar situation, he would have done the same.
“They’re both competitive guys, they both race each other hard,” Horner told Sky Sports. “There has been a breakdown of trust ever since Istanbul; it’s something that we’ve had to manage since 2010 but the most important thing is that they do have a respect for each other when they race each other on track.
“What happened on Sunday was unfortunate but let’s not pretend it hasn’t happened the other way round or in other teams. If Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton had been in that position, they’d have done the same.
“If Mark Webber had been in that position we’ve seen him do the same. So let’s not kid ourselves that this is something that is unique to Sebastian, this is something that is in any competitive driver’s DNA.”
Horner also dismissed speculation about Webber contemplating quitting the team saying he would remain it for the rest of the season.
“Mark knows there was no conspiracy within the team at the weekend,” he said. “We gave him the priority. Our intention was to shut the race down, to minimise the risk – particularly with the tyre deg that we’d seen – to see out that race, and it was the intent of the team that Mark would win that race.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2013.