08/07/2010
NEWS STORY
Speaking to reporters ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix, Mark Webber admitted that he is sceptical about the relationship between McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
While many believe that the incident during the Turkish Grand Prix - when Webber and his German teammate Sebastian Vettel collided - was the beginning of the end of their relationship, it is widely thought that the situation at McLaren is far more easy going. While Webber and Vettel look set for a showdown in the latter stages of the season, Button and Hamilton, courtesy of some excellent PR, are perceived as mates.
Webber believes that not only is there a touch of "smoke and mirrors" about the McLaren duo's relationship but that it will end in tears at some stage.
"It's not easy to have a beautiful, fuzzy, warm relationship when a team mate is clearly a competitor," the Australian told reporters yesterday. "That is absolutely the case at McLaren, I believe it. They are working hard to put a bit of smoke and mirrors up but those two are racing hard. If you are always racing at the front, inevitably it's going to come.
However, sensing the headlines his comments might lead to, the Australian quickly added: "I don't want the headlines to be 'Hamilton and Jenson are going to hit each other this weekend', that's not what I'm saying. What I am saying is that it's inevitable given what's at stake, they are both hungry, both driven. If I don't care, if I'd got no competition about me, no fire and desire about me, I'd get on with Seb like a house on fire."
Referring to the relationship with his own teammate, Webber said: "If Seb's drowning in the ocean I'd go in and help him out. We don't hate each other's guts, but the rivalry is totally natural. You look at say Jarno and Heikki, and there's not much at stake so they are going to get on better.
"However, if you look back at Piquet and Mansell, when you are at the front and both trying to win there is going to be a healthy competitive rivalry there."
With his Valencia car badly damaged and no spare tub, the Australian has been given the car (Luscious Liz) that Vettel 'rejected' in May, leading to some of the usual suspects claiming that Webber is being given his teammate's cast-offs.
"There was nothing wrong with it, it's fine," he said, quickly adding; "Anyway, it's all we've got."
Webber also revealed that the car damaged in that horrendous accident in Spain had been given to him just weeks before the crash, his reward for the wins in Spain and Monaco. At season end, the car, which has been rebuilt and will be used as a spare this weekend, will be given to the Australian, however, he is keen to point out that there is no sentimentality involved.
"I don't get attached to them, but clearly that one was unique," he said. "It did a great job for me. The boys put some messages on it because they thought it was RIP obviously they thought it was all over.
"Crunch (his mechanic Mark Lenton) wrote in it, 'You gave me the best day of my life, and also saved my mate'. The car's there to do a job and it did. it won races for me and looked after me when I needed it."
Asked about the Valencia crash, Webber was his matter-of-fact self: "I didn't even know I was upside down to be honest. That's the joy of the brain. It happened so quick."
Asked if he thought there might be any lingering after effects, he shrugged and said: "We'll find out on Friday."