Webber not prepared to assist Vettel during the race

Mark Webber has explained how he is not preparing to assist team-mate Sebastian Vettel during tomorrow’s 71-lap Brazilian Grand Prix, despite the German’s necessity for a competitive result as he strives to clinch his third successive Drivers’ Championship. Sebastian Vettel will start the race alongside team-mate Mark Webber in 4th.

During the FIA post-qualifying press conference, Mark Webber stressed that he will only be focused on his own race tomorrow and that he will simply be aiming to get the finish line as quickly as possible. These comments from Mark Webber indicate that Sebastian Vettel will have to overtake his team-mate without team orders, as he aims to take victory and his third successive Championship during tomorrow’s 71-lap Brazilian Grand Prix.

“Well, I think we focus on ourselves tomorrow, do the cleanest race I can.” Explained Mark Webber, “We know there may be some tricky weather tomorrow. It’s a long Grand Prix and I’ll be focused 100 percent on my efforts in my cockpit and get to the finish line as quick as possible.”

If the inclement weather which is forecast for the race does strike the circuit tomorrow, Mark Webber has every chance to take what would be a third victory around the Interlagos circuit for the Australian. However, the pace of the McLaren duo is extremely fearsome this weekend, and both Webber and Vettel could well find themselves in the wake of both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button if tomorrow’s race remains dry.

Sebastian Vettel on the other hands does not see his grid position as disaster for tomorrow’s race, despite the German qualifying much lower than normal. Since the Singapore Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull have enjoyed a highly competitive resurgence, which has greatly assisted the German’s Championship surge of late. Vettel has only one aim on his mind for tomorrow’s race, which is to attack the drivers ahead of him and clinch not only the Drivers’ Championship but also the race victory.

“We finished fourth today, which maybe is not the best position we could have got, but we can be quite happy and starting fourth is not a disaster," explained Sebastian Vettel, who has started from pole six times so far this season. “There are more people behind us than in front. I’m happy with fourth and there are plenty of opportunities for tomorrow. I’m not worried. We have mirrors in the car but hopefully we won’t have to use them. As soon as the lights go off we will try to attack the guys in front.”

If Fernando Alonso fails to finish on the podium tomorrow, then Sebastian Vettel doesn’t even need to finish the race. However, if the Spaniard manages to finish either 1st, 2nd or 3rd, then for Vettel to become Champion he will need to respond by at least finishing 4th, 7th or 10th respectively. Once again the Championship finale will undoubtedly be a nail-biting affair, which has many permutations which could alter which driver is crowned Champion for a third time.

Follow me on Twitter - @AndyYoungF1