Red Bull boss Christian Horner: Webber and Vettel are equal but team cause is important – Formula 1
Red Bull team Principal Christian Horner has said that Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are equal in the team and team orders in the Silverstone Grand Prix of the 2011 season were to save both cars from collision which was around the corner.
Horner added that although Webber was frustrated from the decision and he deliberately ignored the directions, still there was no favouritism in the team.
He said had Webber been in the lead and Vettel chasing him, Red Bull would have given the same orders to the German as well because both cars to the finish line are better than a crash at the last minute.
Webber and Vettel were neck to neck in the final few laps of the race. The Aussie was faster and had the advantage of using the Drag Reduction System to full advantage when the Red Bull team gave him orders to maintain the gap and not try to overtake.
Horner explains the purpose of that message.
“It makes no sense from a team point of view to risk both of your cars. It was obvious that neither was going to concede. At the end of the day the team is the biggest thing, and no individual is bigger than the team. Mark obviously chose to ignore that
and didn't make the pass in any event, but that is the team's position,” commented Horner.
He further added, “I can understand Mark's frustration in that, but had it been the other way around it would have been exactly the same.”
Horner cited the example of Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton’s last lap battle. Horner stated that either Massa or Hamilton were about to ruin their race by a collision which the Red Bull team wanted to avoid.
Nevertheless, Vettel has further extended his lead by three points in the 2011 drivers’ championship from second-placed Webber.
The German Grand Prix is due in two weeks time and it will be interesting to see what role does Webber plays in the Red Bull team.
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