F1 News
Date: 8/July/2012
Mark Webber overtook Fernando Alonso for victory just five laps from the end of Sunday’s British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Red Bull driver Webber had spent much of the race struggling to catch Alonso’s Ferrari, but charged back into victory contention after the Spaniard made his final pit stop for the softer tyre.
Webber, who like most drivers had used the softer tyre at the start of the race, was able to hack chunks from the Spaniard’s four-second lead and made his victory pass around the outside on lap 48 of 52.
Alonso was powerless to respond and Webber joins the title leader as the only double winners of the season so far, with an advantage of three seconds at the chequered flag.
After soaking up the podium celebrations, Webber said that his second British GP win was among the most satisfying of his nine F1 victories.
The Australian, 35, said: “I’ve won a few races now, but this one is taking a little while to sink in.
“I knew Fernando would have to run a different compound towards the end of the race, while we got the [slower] tyre out of the way at the start.
“I thought in the first stint that Fernando was in very, very good shape to probably close the win out, but it came our way in the last stint and I am absolutely over the moon.
“I love racing everywhere but here it’s extra special. I won my first race at Silverstone in ’96 in a Formula Ford so the love affair continues.”
Alonso confessed he was helpless to hold off Webber.
“We were controlling the race more or less OK until the last stint, when we were not quick enough,” he said. “Mark overtook very easy and there was nothing we can do.”
However Alonso rejected suggestions that Ferrari had made a tactical error in saving the soft tyre for last.
“You either do first 14 or 15 laps the soft tyres or the last 14 or 15,” he said. “And if at any point it had rained and we had put on intermediates then we wouldn’t have needed to use the soft tyre at all.
“Felipe used the soft tyre in the first stint and did 14 laps with a heavy car and we did 15 laps at the end with a light car. So we were quite convinced the softs were gong to be OK but there was a little too much understeer, the balance changed and killed the performance.
“There is a feeling of losing victory, but it’s the same 18 points that you get if you overtake the guy in second on the last lap and you are happy. So I’m sure in one hour’s time I will appreciate it much more.”
There are rumours that Alonso and the yet-to-sign Webber might even be team-mates at Ferrari next year. Alonso jokingly avoided the speculation.
“I would need to put something in my shoes to be a little bit taller. That would be the only thing different if I changed team-mates,” he said. “For the rest, it doesn’t matter. I would be happy with any team-mate.
“I say again, I’m extremely happy with Felipe. Today, again, he showed the performance that he can do [fourth place], with a normal trouble-free race. We will see what the team decides for next year.”
Webber admitted that his present form certainly isn’t hurting his contract chances.
“It helps my situation to stay in Formula One,” he said. “I’m pushing to get a contract for next year. Going reasonably well, got a few points, a couple of wins and I will work very hard to try and stay in Formula One.”
Alonso and Webber remain first and second in the world championship, but with the gap between them reduced to 13 points.
Best of the rest is Webber’s team-mate and reigning double champion Sebastian Vettel, third at Silverstone and 29 points from the top.
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