Red Bull’s Mark Webber: Bahrain’s withdrawal will not change the forerunners
Red Bull driver, Mark Webber believes that the delayed start to the 2011 Formula 1 season will not alter the performance of any team on the upcoming grid. He reckons that the fore-runners for the upcoming season will remain the same despite the postponement
of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Bahrain round was scheduled to take place on the 13th of March. However, political turmoil in the country forced the government to withhold the event. While the announcement ‘disappointed’ a few, many of the teams and drivers, including McLaren’s
Lewis Hamilton breathed a sigh of relief.
The 2008 World Champion stated that the team will now have a little more time at its disposal and will be able to refine its new car, MP4-26 in a better way.
However, Webber dismissed all such beliefs. He assured that there will be hardly any affect of this on the upcoming 2011 tracks.
He told the media this Wednesday, "I don't think the extra two weeks will make a huge difference. It's the same for everybody. We are always prepared to race in two weeks. The freight will still have to leave for Melbourne pretty early. I suppose you've
got another 10 days' headroom, but it is swings and roundabouts."
Contrary to this, Norbert Haug, the President in charge of all Mercedes-Benz motorsports insisted that at this point, every year, when a season is about to begin, all the teams do things ‘literally’ at the last moment. He thinks that every extra minute is
a blessing for the teams and will give the competitors "just a little bit more air".
However, the Red Bull team Principal, Christian Horner seconds his driver, and why wouldn't he. He said that all the teams are already done with their cars. He assured that in such a little more time no one can do wonders. He also believes that since all
the teams have got the same extra time, therefore none will have an edge over the other because of this delay.
He further explained, "They've got a little bit more time, but they haven't got any more mileage because it's still only one four day test before the first grand prix that will now move to Melbourne. Time is a little bit more in hand but in terms of mileage
on the track that is exactly the same."
Now, the first race of the forthcoming season is scheduled to take place on March 27th, in Australia. This gives all the teams another two weeks before the season kicks off. Moreover, the final pre-season testing will now take place in Barcelona,
instead of the pre-decided venue, Bahrain.
Although Bahrain successfully held the curtain raiser last year, many of the race fans as well as the teams are happy to have the season started off in Australia once again, the traditional season opener of the series.
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