After a demoralising 2011, Mark Webber is back. Unfortunately for the Australian, however, the new Red Bull is not yet a McLaren-beater. Teammate Sebastian Vettel scored back to back titles in the RB8's two predecessors but in Australia and Malaysia was out-qualified by Webber.
German commentator Christian Danner said Webber's boost of form is "significant". Triple world champion Niki Lauda added on German television RTL that the 35-year-old Australian seems to be dealing better than Vettel with the new generation of Pirelli.
And while behind the McLarens and a Mercedes, and identical in pace to Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus on Saturday, the Adrian Newey-penned car in Webber's hands in Malaysia is not sluggish. "Mark is just two tenths from pole position, so we are not hopeless," Dr Helmut Marko is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.
But they're not winning yet, either. "I think the race can go a little better for us here," said Vettel after qualifying sixth on Saturday, "but I think you can see that we don't have an easy car to drive. We are aware of it and we are working hard," he is quoted by Spain's Marca newspaper. (GMM)
Mark Webber back to form after demoralising 2011
- Published on 28 Mar 2012 15:48
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 1,480
- Podiums 56
- Grand Prix 161
- Country DE
- Date of b. Jul 3 1987 (38)
- Place of b. Heppenheim, DE
- Weight 62 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 281,401 comments on Aston Martin
57 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Sebastian Vettel
Team profile
- Team name Mercedes
- Base Brackley, Germany
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Nico Rosberg 4
- Nico Rosberg 6
- Michael Schumacher 7
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 9
- Lewis Hamilton 10
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli 12
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- 636,173 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
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