'Too early to talk about Webber's future'
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it is "way too early" to be discussing Mark Webber's future with the team, and that any discussions will probably wait until the end of the season.
- Associated Press
- Updated: May 08, 2011 02:02 pm IST
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it is "way too early" to be discussing Mark Webber's future with the team, and that any discussions will probably wait until the end of the season.
"(It) it is a mutual thing, it was agreed between Mark and the team that we would take things, at this stage of his career, one season at a time," Horner said. "It's way too early to be focusing on 2012 at this point in time. We're very happy with Mark, he's a very popular member of our team."
Webber was fourth in the championship standings ahead of Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, the fourth race of the season. The 34-year-old Australian will look for his first win of the season, starting from second on the grid at Istanbul Park.
Webber has improved as the season has advanced, moving up from fifth in Australia to fourth in Malaysia and then third in China, where an inspired performance saw him carve his way through the field after starting in 18th spot.
"I think that Mark has had a difficult start to the year, up until the race in China where he drove an absolutely phenomenal race there," Horner said. "He's had some bad luck, (but) he's still delivering at a massively high level."
Webber challenged for the F1 title last season until the final day, only to finish third behind Fernando Alonso and his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel, who became the youngest ever champion.
"(Webber's) probably one of the most dedicated Grand Prix drivers out there. But at this stage it's certainly too early to be talking about the future," Horner said. "There will be a private discussion we have with Mark. When the time is right we will sit down and discuss it."
Ahead of Sunday's race, Webber was 31 points behind Vettel.
Webber's relationship with the 23-year-old Vettel was not always harmonious last year - there was even a feud after their wheels touched at the Turkish Grand Prix - but Horner feels their relationship is healthy.
"I think the dynamics we have, the combination between the two is really very positive," Horner said. "They bring the best out of each other, they push each other hard."