F1: Webber Not Angry About Hamilton’s Comments, Hamilton ‘Simply Faster’ Than Button: Ecclestone

RED BULL'S MARK Webber on Thursday said he was not angry despite Lewis Hamilton telling the media in Melbourne that he (Webber) might retire at the end of 2010.

2008 world champion Hamilton, who drives for the rival McLaren team, said 24 hours earlier that he gets "the sense" that Webber, 33, would quit if successful at the wheel of the highly-competitive RB6 car.

"He has the best chance to end on that high this year and I wouldn't be surprised if he is considering it," said Briton Hamilton, 25.

Webber on Thursday denied he is thinking about retiring, and, contrary to expectations, said he was not upset about Hamilton's comments.

"I have no intention of retiring whatever kind of season I have," he said at Albert Park.

"It's Lewis' opinion and he's free to have that. I've not got a big problem with what he said. I'm very happy at the moment. It's a good situation for me."

(GMM)

Hamilton 'Simply Faster' Than Button: Ecclestone

BERNIE ECCLESTONE HAS revealed that he was not surprised when Lewis Hamilton outpaced F1's new reigning champion in Bahrain two weeks ago.

Much has been written about the new pairing at McLaren, with many observers predicting that Jenson Button will need a few races to get up to speed with the team's incumbent Hamilton.

But in a joint interview involving both Hamilton, 25, and the F1 Chief Executive, Ecclestone seemed to indicate that he expects the gap between the British pair will remain.

When asked by Germany's Sport Bild if he was surprised to see Hamilton in front of Button in Bahrain, Ecclestone answered: "I would have been very surprised if he (Hamilton) was not."

Why? "Because he is quite simply faster."

Not surprisingly, Ecclestone's comments were not included in the English-language transcript of the interview posted on the official website F1.com.

But in both German and English-language versions, the 79-year-old was not shy to make his feelings clear about the likely travels of F1's three new teams this season.

When Hamilton said "never say never!" when Virgin's title prospects were discussed, Ecclestone quipped, "In this case I can (say never).

"I don't think that the new teams will raise their performance significantly over the season," he added.