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F1: Red Bull Behind Webber For Final Effort

Mark Webber says he is focused on overtaking his rivals to take second place in the drivers' world championship.

With the drivers' and constructors' titles now both in the bag, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said recently that helping W


Mark Webber says he is focused on overtaking his rivals to take second place in the drivers' world championship.

With the drivers' and constructors' titles now both in the bag, Red Bull boss Christian Horner said recently that helping Webber climb from fourth to second is the team's remaining objective for 2011.

Asked if he is happy to give up wins so that Webber can outscore Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, world champion Vettel admitted: "Yeah, definitely."

Mark told India's Mid Day: "The entire team is behind me in support for the number 2 position.

"With the constructor's title in the bag, and Seb having won the drivers' title, a Red Bull one-two in the drivers' championship will be a great achievement and a fantastic way to end the season."

And ahead of 2012, Webber denies he will be under pressure to finally beat Vettel for ultimate spoils.

"Not really," the 35-year-old insisted.  "In fact, I think the pressure is on him because he has to defend."

(GMM)

Hulkenberg, di Resta not counting on 2012 seats

Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta are refusing to believe they will definitely front Force India's race driver line-up in 2012.

It is now expected that the team's long-time regular Adrian Sutil may have to seek alternate employment, with Friday driver Hulkenberg set to step up to the race seat alongside rookie Scot di Resta.

"There are quite a few rumours going on.  At the moment, that is what they are," admitted Hulkenberg in Delhi this week.

"A decision has not yet been taken," said the 24-year-old, referring to his boss Vijay Mallya's scheduled announcement in mid December. "I'm waiting for that day.

"Hopefully, the association (with Force India) will be a good one and I look to a good future with them."

Even di Resta, Sutil's current race teammate, is not feeling comfortable.

"It (the December announcement) does play on your mind, I won't deny it," he told the Guardian. "You have got to keep showing the results, maybe show them even a bit more."

(GMM)

No sportsman of the year title for Vettel

Even in his native Germany, there is one trophy Sebastian Vettel has failed to capture in 2011.

The country's motor sport federation Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC) has decided that new DTM champion Martin Tomczyk is more deserving of the motor sportsman of the year title.

After a decade of trying, 29-year-old Tomczyk this year won the German touring car series despite being demoted to an older Audi.

"At the beginning of the season nobody counted on me," he said.

F1's youngest ever back to back world champion Vettel ranked only third in ADAC's deliberations, also behind teenage motocross champion Ken Roczen.

The ADAC sport president is Tomczyk's father Hermann.

(GMM)

New Ferrari to borrow ideas from rival teams - Tombazis

Ferrari's 2012 car will borrow some ideas from Red Bull and other rival teams in F1.

That is the admission of chief designer Nikolas Tombazis, who is heading the project of what has been described as an "aggressive" change of direction for the famous Italian team.

But recently in Korea, Ferrari ran a 2012-style new wing that some observers analysed as similar to the philosophy seen this year in Red Bull's dominant car.

"One can not ignore the competition, nor that Red Bull wins (the championships)," Tombazis is quoted by the website of Italian magazine Autosprint.

"But Red Bull are not the only ones with interesting solutions; there are also solutions to consider on the slower cars," he said. "We don't need to hide that.

"However I believe that next year's car will have lots of different elements, all ours. It would be absolutely unfair to say that it is a Red Bull.

"It will be a Ferrari but it will be different in different areas, with new solutions in other areas. It will be a mix," added Tombazis.

(GMM)

Ecclestone happy despite early Indian glitches

Vicky Chandhok experienced a classically harrowing moment on Wednesday when greeted by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone at the new Buddh circuit.

The first Indian Grand Prix has endured a tumultuous build-up, but the Hermann Tilke-designed venue has ultimately been delivered just on time.

"You are always nervous," Tilke admitted to the German news agency DPA. "Little things do go wrong at a (circuit's) first Grand Prix."

One of those 'little things' was the presence of mouse droppings all over the brand new team facilities buildings, and faulty wiring that had to be fixed, an unnamed member of the Williams team revealed.

Tilke told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper: "We did the project and advised the work.  We are not responsible for the buildings."

And Germany's Die Welt revealed that there was a worrying glitch during a safety test this week when key marshals could not find the medical centre even after 20 minutes.

Vicky Chandhok, the boss of India's motor sport clubs, admits he felt a rush of adrenaline when sternly greeted by Ecclestone on Wednesday.

"I had Charlie (Whiting) drive me round the track this morning, and afterwards Bernie came up, slapped my face and he said to me, How did you put up such rubbish?" he told the Daily Mail.

"I looked at him aghast and said, What are you saying?" added Chandhok.

"Then he laughed, gave me a big hug, a slap on the back and said 'Great job'."

(GMM)

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