13/07/2010
NEWS STORY
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Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has denied claims that there is pressure on him to favour Sebastian Vettel over Mark Webber.
The Englishman, keen not to see the current situation get out of control, thereby compromising the team's championship(s) hopes insists that the team's parent company, ultimately owned by Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, is not exerting pressure in order to ensure that Vettel wins the drivers' title.
"There has never been any pressure from Red Bull to favour one driver over the other," he said," according to the Daily Telegraph. "I didn't have a conversation with Helmut (Marko) or anyone from Red Bull regarding the decision to give Sebastian the wing. It was purely a technical decision, which I discussed with Adrian (Newey).
"My one regret is that I didn't have time to discuss the issue with Mark personally prior to qualifying as I'm sure that would have given him a more balanced understanding."
The Englishman was also keen to play down talk of a "civil war" within the team, that after the race on Sunday Webber's mechanics taunted Vettel's crew.
"It's ridiculous," he said. "Our mechanics are completely for each other, irrelevant of the car crew. That's why we have some of the fastest pit stops in Formula One. There is one team of mechanics for both drivers and all championship bonuses are based on team position rather than driver so there is no favouritism at all."
While the much-hyped clear the air talk has been postponed for now, Horner revealed that he hosted a post-race party at his home which was attended by both drivers.
"Mark and I have always enjoyed a very good and transparent relationship," he said. "I've known him for over a decade and I've always supported him, as I do Sebastian. They were both up on stage at our post-race party on Sunday singing together with myself, Adrian and one or two others.
"You have to remember, this was a great result for the team and it was a hugely emotional occasion. It was great that we all celebrated together with Mark's family and Seb's family there as well."
What at first appeared to be a non-story, the work of journalists keen to bring some scandal back to F1, is now a bona fide issue for the Austrian team with Webber's post-race comments making it clear that the Milton Keynes outfit has a problem on its hands.
However, one well known F1 insider was keen not only to point out that it would be sad to cast Vettel as the villain of the piece but that, in their opinion, there is a problem in terms of the team's management and internal politics.
"It's a sad fact that he's being made the villain of the piece," said our source. "Journos and those who know Vettel like him, appreciate that he's a very quick, talented driver, and a good kid. He's being put in a difficult position, whereby by being the favoured son, he's beiing given an advantage or a favouritism he doesn't need.
"The problem is Red Bull and its politics, not Vettel, and it's time that Mateschitz, not even Horner, took control of the situation and worked out who he's going to listen to... Marko, Horner or someone else? Marko is the more powerful but also dangerous, Horner doesn't have the weight or the experience."