Mark Webber conceded that his challenge for the Formula One drivers’ title is over after an early race penalty compromised his race and a brake failure late on ended any possible fight back.
Asked after his accident if the title race was open Webber responded: “No, not for me it’s not. Sebastian has had an unlucky day too so we’ll see there. The Brawns look in good shape. But we just have to do better next weekend.”
The Red Bull driver went into the night race from fourth on the grid but was pressured through the opening corners by the hard-charging Fernando Alonso, starting from fifth. The pair tussled into turn seven with Alonso holding fast to the inside line while Webber was forced off track but retook the position by racing around the outside of the Renault on the run-off area.
That though was deemed an illegal move and Webber was ordered to let Alonso past once more, the penalty exacerbated by the fact that Toyota’s Timo Glock had also slipped past Alonso so when Webber ceded postion both rivals raced past dumping the Red Bull driver to sixth. “The first lap was pretty feisty, as you’d expect here on a street circuit and I had a bit of a fight with Fernando in turn 7,” said a disconsolate Webber afterwards. “ You know, Kimi did something similar in Spa and got away with it.
“But then Fernando wasn’t entirely in control on the inside. I thought it was 50/50 but obviously the stewards decided I had to let them back through again and my race was over from there. It’s a harsh decision - on street circuits it’s very difficult and it’s just the inconsistency of these things that’s always interesting to me.”
From sixth recovery look difficult but the task became insurmountable when late in the race Webber began to suffer brake problems. During his second stop mechanics removed debris from the brake ducts and passed the car fit to continue but within a few laps of rejoining Webber’s right front brake failed, pitching him into the barriers and out of the race.
“We did have a suspected brake problem before the stop,” he said. “The guys had a good look around and thought it was okay to continue. But then they were just about to retire me and we had the failure. Disappointing.”
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