Planet-F1

Horner: No team orders at Red Bull Racing

Monday 13th July 2009

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner is refusing to impose team orders with both Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel in the hunt for the World title.

The team have enjoyed back-to-back one-two finishes at Silverstone three weeks ago and on Sunday at the Nurburgring.

At the British Grand Prix it was Vettel who held sway while in Germany it was Webber who had the upper hand, finally winning his first race in F1 at the 130th attempt.

In essence, the duo have also taken points off one another as they chase down Championship leader Jenson Button in his Brawn GP, with the gap 21 points to Vettel and 22.5 to Webber.

With eight races now remaining, Horner knows there is no way he can start to favour one driver over the other.

"We treat the drivers equally," insisted Horner.

"With both competing against each other, the team has to be very fair, which is the way we've always operated, and the way we will continue to operate.

"They will get the same support until it becomes obvious one is in contention, or there is a significant difference between them.

"When there is a gap, then we will have to be more strategic and a supporting role will have to be played.

"Until that point we will continue to give both drivers equal support, equal equipment, and try and close down the Brawns.

"But right now we're too early in the season, and with only one-and-a-half points between the drivers, it would be totally wrong for the team to impose team orders.

"Apart from which we would have one very unhappy driver if we favoured one over the other, and which one do you favour based on current performance?"

Although Red Bull have closed the gap in the Constructors' title fight to just 19.5 points, Horner maintains the team still has "a mountain to climb".

"We've made two big steps at the last two grands prix, and in the last three we've taken 20 points out of them in the Constructors' Championship," he added.

"We'll treat each race as it comes, but a few more weekends like the one yesterday and at Silverstone, and we will catch them."

Webber, despite stating last week the title race is over as Button was too far ahead, is now a genuine contender.

Firmly on the pace with rising German star Vettel, the 32-year-old Australian is proving he has what it takes to compete with his young gun team-mate.

Experience also tells him either he or Vettel could go and win the Championship, so he appreciates Horner playing fair with both drivers.

"It's quite rare that two drivers in the same team perform quite so closely and get very similar points," said Webber.

"Strategy always plays a little bit of a role here and there, so if you put all your eggs in one basket it might help.

"You could do that for two or three races, but then that guy might have two DNFs (did not finish) and the guy you took points off is in a slightly worse position.

"Either of us can have DNFs from mechanical problems or anything, so at the end of the day we have a lot of points to go for. Later on it will be a decision for the team.

"It's a team championship, a team sport. Maybe towards the end, the last three, four or five races it will turn to one of us if we have a chance to fight Jenson."