Let’s be real. After the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix the F1 driver’s championship is coming down to a two man race, both in the same Red Bull Racing Team. However on current form it will be Mark Webber who will beat his team mate Sebastian Vettel in the driver’s championship.
While Vettel is arguably the faster of the two, on form Webber has the better ability to channel his emotional energy into his driving, to take adversity and transform it into opportunities.
Let’s look at the reasons why:
Last weekend at Hungary Webber appeared to be left high and dry after the safety car came out onto the track while Vettel was leading. Vettel and most of the field pitted to change to fresh tyres and rejoined. Webber didn’t have the opportunity and stayed out, inheriting the lead.
Now it appeared that Webber would have to pit soon after this and thus fall way back down the field. Instead he stayed on his old tyres and used the clear advantage Red Bull had over the competition and increased his lead to enable him to pit and come out still in the lead.
Rewind back to Silverstone with the front wing controversy. To recap, both drivers were given a newly designed front wing for the round. Vettel’s broke in Friday’s practice so team manager Christian Horner took Webber’s and gave it to Vettel. What did Webber do? He channeled his anger into his driving, out-psyched his team mate off the line and went onto win.
Rewind to Turkey. While leading the race Webber is confronted with his team mate trying to over take him. He is hit hard and goes off the track allowing both McLaren drivers through to eventually take a 1-2 finish. Webber should have won and could have been knocked right off the track but held it together to finish third and take valuable points.
On the other hand Vettel has let his emotions get the better of him. There is no doubt that he is fast and arguably the faster of the two. However while he has achieved seven pole positions this year out of 12 races he has only been able to convert these opportunities into one win (from pole).
His anger got the better of him during the weekend at Hungary after he was given a drive through penalty. This came about from stewards deciding that he didn’t keep up with Webber while behind the safety car, thus allowing his team mate to make a sustained break on the rest of the field once the race restarted.
We saw Vettel still arguing with officials right up until he joined Webber and Alonzo on the podium.
Rewind to Silverstone he blew his front wing advantage and his pole position. At Turkey he came away with no points after his collision with Webber, having to retire with damage to his car.
Unfortunately Vettel appears to have an attitude of blame not being able to accept his own mistakes – Webber caused the accident in Turkey, his radio wasn’t working in Hungary.
Maybe Red Bull Racing is the wrong environment for his talent. Maybe the culture there doesn’t enable him to channel his emotional energy into winning.
On the other hand maybe this is the right environment for Webber. The confrontation and disappointments are exactly the culture he is able to rise above and become successful.
Let’s face it. Most drivers get one shot at the title. Surely this is Webber’s best chance and he just might take it.
(With seven rounds left Webber currently leads on 161 points with Lewis Hamilton second on 157 and Vettel 151.)
