Formula One: Red Bull Drivers, Webber and Vettel Go Head to Head in 2010 Season
Mark Webber leads the Formula 1 driver’s championship with 14 points ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel with only three races left. With Red Bull boss Christian Horner, insisting that both drivers will receive equal
treatment, the battle between the two drivers reaches its climax.
However, with four wins this season and finishing second behind team-mate Vettel in Japan, Webber is favourite to win the title for the first time at the age of 34. He knows it is too early to back off and play the percentages, following the introduction
of new points system this season, no one is certain of winning the world championship.
Vettel mean while has finished ahead of his team-mate in the last two races closing the gap to 14 points. Vettel has improved all season and from his last two performances, one can see that he is hitting the form at the right time. Vettel will fancy his
chances if he finishes on the podium ahead of his Australian team-mate Webber.
Korean Grand prix was given a go-ahead after construction delays at Yeongam on 12 October after an inspection by FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting. Track will be new for every driver but from the layout, it seems like it will favour McLaren team of
two pervious world champions Lewis Hamilton 2008 and Jenson Button 2009. In addition, if the McLaren pair manages to finish on the podium ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari in Korea, then the title challenge will go to the penultimate race of the season with as
many as five drivers fighting for the title.
For Red Bull it has been a good year so far with one driver leading the driver’s championship and second competing for it. However, Red Bull and both its driver should not forget what happened to McLaren in 2007, when both driver's Hamilton and Alonso were
in the same situation and ended up losing the championship to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
Despite insisting that both drivers will be treated equally, driver favouritism has been a troublesome issue for Red Bull this season. In last few months, there have been occasions of favouritism with in the team.
Red Bull drivers gifted one-two finish to McLaren in Turkey this year, when Vettel crashed into Webber. Red Bull appeared to blame Webber although most pundits had a different opinion and blamed Vettel for the accident.
Webber was unhappy again at the British Grand Prix in July when he believed that Red Bull has favoured Vettel by taking off their only new wing from his car and giving it to Vettel but Australian driver Webber won the race.
Webber hinted in August that Red Bull should consider converging its efforts supporting one driver. But since then Vettel has reduced the gap and at present situation it can be any one lifting the title in November.
Red Bull should not take anything for granted and although racing calendar favours them with two of three tracks being the one's where they won last year, the equation can change. In order to avoid a repeat of McLaren 2007 story, both drivers must make sure
to be ahead of their rivals and then compete among themselves which is never an easy task.
A win in Korea can settle the nerves but pressure is on the Red Bull team and one mistake by either driver can spoil a fantastic year so far.
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