user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Vergne: "Webber quit because being tired of beaten by Vettel"

Vergne: "Webber quit because being tired of beaten by Vettel"

  • Published on 27 Dec 2013 14:46
  • comments 0
  • By: Danny Sosef
Mark Webber quit formula one because he got tired of being beaten by teammate Sebastian Vettel. That is the claim of Jean-Eric Vergne, who drives for the second-tier Red Bull team, Toro Rosso.

Frenchman Vergne told Spain's El Confidencial newspaper that he is now over the disappointment of missing out on the departing Webber's seat at the premier Red Bull Racing team to his 2013 teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Vergne, 23, was asked if he thinks Australian veteran Webber, who is heading to Le Mans with Porsche, quit F1 because he got "tired" of spraying champagne on F1 podiums.

"I don't think he got tired of that," Vergne answered. "He got tired of his teammate winning all the time. And another year of the same made no sense to him.

"He would not even be happy if his team continued to win everything -- you have the same car but you're beaten every weekend by your teammate. You would get tired of that," he added, "even when you are on the podium.

"I think Mark is a very good driver and a true competitor," Vergne explained, "but things were not going as he wanted.

"If your teammate is always beating you ... the goal is to win, not finish on the podium," he added.

Vergne was also asked about F1's sweeping changes for 2014, and he admitted that the move to the new turbo V6 engine will be "the main issue" for the season.

But he added: "There are many other changes. The (blown) exhausts will be gone, the tyres will be harder. Traction will be extremely difficult and sometimes it will seem like children learning how to drive!"

And Vergne tipped Pirelli to recover from its tumultuous season, despite the fact Nico Rosberg suffered a high-speed blowout whilst testing a 2014 prototype in Bahrain recently.

"I think they will do a good job. First of all the tyres must be safe," said Vergne. "They will be more conservative."
F1 News Daniel Ricciardo Nico Rosberg Sebastian Vettel Pirelli Red Bull Racing
<< Previous article Next article >>

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

World Championship standings 2021

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
286
2
Mercedes
282
3
McLaren
163
4
Ferrari
148
5
Alpha Tauri
49
6
Aston Martin
48
7
Alpine F1
40
8
Alfa Romeo Racing
2
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Driver profile

AU Daniel Ricciardo 3
Daniel Ricciardo
  • Team McLaren
  • Points 941
  • Podiums 23
  • Grand Prix 129
  • Country AU
  • Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (32)
  • Place of b. Perth, AU
  • Weight 64 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Pirelli
  • Team name Pirelli
  • Base Milan, Italy
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
20 - May 23
Monaco
Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
18 - Jun 20
France
Paul Ricard
25 - Jun 27
Austria
Red Bull Ring
2 - Jul 4
Austria
Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom
Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary
Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy
Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil
Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia
Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
20 - May 23
Monaco Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
18 - Jun 20
France Paul Ricard
25 - Jun 27
Austria Red Bull Ring
2 - Jul 4
Austria Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar