Webber stays at Red Bull for 2013

F1 News
Date: 10/July/2012

Just days after his second grand prix victory of the season at Silverstone, Mark Webber has inked  a new deal that will see him remain with the Red Bull team for the 2013 Formula One season.

Webber, 35, has been a grand prix driver since 2002, joining Red Bull in 2007 and taking the first of his nine grand prix wins for the team in 2009.

The Australian is presently second in the World Championship, 13 points behind Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, who is the only other double race winner this year.

Upon announcing his new deal, Webber said: “I’ve been with Red Bull Racing since 2007 and have achieved nine grand prix wins during that time. I’m high on confidence at the moment and firing on all cylinders.

“I know the Team well and I’m very comfortable here; we have grown together over the years and it feels like absolutely the right thing to stay with Red Bull for another season.”

However Webber also confirmed he had been in talks with Ferrari. "There were discussions with Ferrari, but my decision was to stay here,” he said.

2013 will be Webber’s fifth season driving alongside young German Sebastian Vettel, the reigning double world champion. Vettel is currently one place behind Webber in this year’s standings.

 “There are not many team-mates staying together for that long in Formula One, but it’s proved to be a successful partnership with both of us working very hard with the key technical members of the team,” said Webber.

Webber admitted that the rivalry with Vettel has been tense at times.

“Last year there wasn’t much racing between Sebastian and I, but in 2009, 2010 and this year, there have been some great battles,” he said. “That’s been enjoyable for the team, sometimes stressful too as it’s not easy for both of us to be at the front and I can understand that.”

One of the oldest drivers in F1, although eight years younger than Michael Schumacher, Webber refuses to talk of retirement and intends to remain in the sport as long as he is fast enough to secure a front-running car.

“My answer remains the same. It’s a results-based sport at the front of the grid so the future lies in my own hands. It’s down to me to deliver the on-track results,” he said.