Mark Webber is delighted that Red Bull Racing had silenced the sceptics who thought that the RB6 would be handicapped by the stricter ‘flexible wing’ tests introduced by the FIA.
Singapore is the first race where teams are running high downforce levels with the new rules in place. Rivals had suggested the loss of form in Spa and Monza suggested that the new tests had had an impact.
“We’re struggling with the new rules!,” he joked. “We knew nothing would change in that sense. We weren’t coming here expecting to be slower than we were in Budapest. Obviously other people have their own ideas how they’ve go to improve their car, and we keep trying to improve our car.
“McLaren could be on pole tomorrow, so let’s see how it goes. We know where we are, we know where we’re going, we know we have clever guys doing the right thing at the right time. Our car’s never failed a test ever this year. The tests keep changing, and anyway we keep doing our best.”
Webber said he still has more to come.
“We’ve got a lot of information to go through tonight,” said the Aussie. “Obviously the cars are very different compared to when we were here last year, so it’s not too bad.
“I wasn’t mega happy with my short run performance. I wasn’t cruising, but Friday there are no points, as we know, so build up for tomorrow.”
Like other drivers, Webber is not a big fan of the revised chicane: “We knew it was going to be worse than last time, because the kerbs are bigger. They don’t want us to play with them, but sometimes when you hit them you need a Toyota Hilux to get through there…”
Adam Cooper F1 