Webber will quit F1 if he doesn’t find a competitive team

After renewing his contract with Red Bull until the end of 2012, Mark Webber knows his place is threatened, in the long term, by the ambitious drivers from Toro Rosso who claim not to have their eyes on the seat next to Sebastian Vettel just yet: “The most important thing in my case is that I perform well,” concedes the Australian on the official Formula One website. “The rest is not up to me, so I will just focus on myself. In Formula One, when you’re at the front, you’re always intensely scrutinized, every corner is analyzed. […] Teams always look at what’s best for them, and drivers are a big part of the team. I respect that, so I remain focused on 2012.”

Outside of Red Bull, the Australian could see numerous prospects for 2013, notably at Ferrari where Alan Jones believes, according to *GMM*, there could be an opening if Felipe Massa leaves. One thing is clear according to Mark Webber: “I need something competitive,” claims the Red Bull driver, now 35, to the *Australian Associated Press*. “It is quite clear that I’ve earned my stripes to get here, and I won’t be going backward. Being competitive, being at the forefront, is certainly a very, very big factor in keeping me motivated and hungry.”

The Australian will, however, have to make people forget a 2011 season considered disappointing despite a late victory in Brazil: « I finished the season rather strongly last year, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the best of starts. So, for 2012, I want to get off to a good start, stay strong in the middle, and finish well. After that, we’ll have to count the points » he explains, without hiding his ambitions, which remain unchanged, for the title.

For this, the Queanbeyan native subjected himself to intense preparation and got leaner: “I’ve lost a few kilos, that’s all. I’m really looking forward to getting back to competition and I must say I’ve prepared very well. I want to start again just as well as when we left off, in Brazil.”

In Melbourne, the great Mark will be more expected than ever, as it is his home Grand Prix, which he has never won, something he dismisses: « There are plenty who have never managed to win at home: Sebastian (Vettel), Jenson (Button), and Rubens (Barrichello), to name just a few. Regardless of where the first race takes place, I want to win it and I am really excited as the season approaches. Of course, there is a little more tension when you race at home, but in the car, you do the job no matter where you are. I won’t let anything distract me in Melbourne: that’s the plan. »

There’s just one thing left to know: in what shape the Red Bull team will start the season after dominating in 2011 thanks to, notably, the blown diffusers, banned in 2012. « I would say the RB8 is quite well prepared. Of course, having only twelve days of testing before the season starts means you have to condense the program, but it’s the same for everyone. After having such a victorious car as the RB7, our biggest challenge is overcoming the regulatory changes, which means having less grip. Other than that, and besides the small reliability issues that are customary at this time of year, everything has gone quite smoothly. »

A few steps away from the start of serious competition and like most of his rivals, the Australian driver refuses to make any predictions before Melbourne: « It’s impossible to know. We are the world champion team, so we know the bar is high, but, true to the Red Bull spirit, we are still hungry – I am very hungry – for victory. […] We know that Mercedes needs to win races this year, that Ferrari would like to win races this year, that McLaren wants to win, and that we want to win. So, we eagerly await Melbourne to learn more. »