Sebastian Vettel drives ahead of Red Bull teammate Mark Webber at Silverstone. Webber finished third, with Fernando Alonso taking out the race. Photo: Reuters
Mark Webber was forced to admit on Thursday that Red Bull's use of team orders at Silverstone was not a one-off, conceding that the team will henceforth only allow their drivers to race "most of the time".
The Australian reacted furiously after being ordered to "maintain the gap" behind teammate Sebastian Vettel as the pair vied for second place during the final laps of the British Grand Prix. He claimed afterwards that he ignored the instructions, although to many observers he appeared to back off on the final lap.
The incident sparked renewed suggestions that Red Bull favour their young protege and world champion, Sebastian Vettel, as well as allegations of rank hypocrisy. Red Bull were critical of Ferrari last year after the Italian team were punished for imposing team orders at Hockenheim.
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"Let the two drivers race and what will be will be," owner Dietrich Mateschitz said at the time. "We don't manipulate things like Ferrari do."
With the ban on team orders now lifted, Webber suggested that the team's policy has changed. "We are still free to race most of the time," he said. "It was an awkward one [at Silverstone] and it is not often that things like that happen. We spoke about it and [team principal Christian Horner] guaranteed me that it would have been the same the other way around if Seb was closing in on me; he would have still shut the race down."
The 34 year-old, on a rolling one-year deal at Red Bull, insisted that the team orders row would have "zero impact" on contract negotiations. He was asked if he wanted to be at Red Bull next year. "I would say the answer is yes," he eventually replied.
Meanwhile, Formula One's governing body has confirmed that as part of the new engine regulations for 2014, cars will only be able to use electric power in the pit lane.
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