F1: Red Bull Building New Chassis For Webber, Mercedes Must Not Give Up On 2010 Car: Rosberg

Red Bull Racing is building up a new chassis for Mark Webber after his backflip crash during last Sunday's European Grand Prix.

The Australian emerged unhurt from the frightening impact, which included a backwards somersault, a smash against an advertising hoarding while airborne, and a high speed final shunt into the tyre barrier.

The actual chassis was the one driven by Webber, 33, to a handful of pole positions and his wins in Barcelona and Monaco.

"It's been good to me," he said. "It was very safe, thank god."

BBC's pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz on Wednesday reported that Webber will drive a brand new RB6 at Silverstone next weekend.

The new chassis is "currently being built up at the team's Milton Keynes factory", he said.

Webber slipped from third - a position now held by his teammate Sebastian Vettel - to fifth in the world championship with his Valencia crash. Recently the drivers' standings leader, he is now 24 points behind Lewis Hamilton.

"I lost some points, but in the end when you're up there (in the air), you're not worried about points, I was worried that I was ok and ready for Silverstone," he said.

"The chassis has been good to me, and it has been good to me (in Valencia) as it saved me from some injures.

"I remain incredibly positive, we go on, it's half way through the championship. Bloody hell, let's get on with it," he added.

(GMM)

Mercedes Must Not Give Up On 2010 Car: Rosberg

Nico Rosberg is adamant the time is not right for Mercedes to give up on the 2010 World Championship.

The Brackley based team raced a major car upgrade in Valencia last weekend, including a Red Bull-style 'blown rear diffuser' and exhaust layout.

But it was yet another bad weekend for the team, and team boss Ross Brawn admitted he would now "reflect, assess and see what our next steps should be".

According to Rosberg, that next step should not be abandoning the W01 in order to focus completely on the 2011 car.

"We still have many opportunities for development," he said in an interview with Sport Bild. "Other top teams, for example, have things that we can develop quite simply.

"That is what we are doing," said the German.

Michael Schumacher has admitted he is now beginning to think about next year, but the seven time world champion has less than half the points of his younger teammate.

"I am absolutely against that (giving up on 2010)," answered Rosberg, who turned 25 on the day he finished 12th in Valencia.

"I still believe in my chances. If the championship leader Hamilton fails just once and I win, I will almost be at his level," he added.