Webber, Vettel to thrash things out

Mark Webber is to hold clear-the-air talks with Red Bull Racing team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

Webber is hoping he and Vettel can resolve their differences ahead of the next race in Canada on June 13 as a feud erupted following their accident in Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix.

Both drivers blamed each other for the lap-40 collision in which the young German turned into the Australian as he attempted to pass down the inside.

The outcome saw Vettel spin out of the race and Webber require a new front wing, allowing Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button to score a one-two for McLaren.

Speaking in his column in the Australian Daily Telegraph, Webber said: "Seb and I will sit down and have a chat about it because we need to avoid costly slip-ups like this in the future.

"We'll probably have a difference of opinion about what happened on Sunday until we go to our graves, but we're both adults and we need to find a way of racing together that doesn't compromise the team.

"If we'd been fighting for 18th and 19th positions when this accident occurred, no one would have cared. As it was, we were fighting for the lead, and it's all anyone wants to know about."

Team principal Christian Horner blamed both drivers for the shunt, believing Webber should have given Vettel room, and accusing the 22-year-old German of turning in too aggressively.

Webber, though, is adamant he did nothing wrong, adding: "Vettel had a bit of a top-speed advantage and I could see him coming down my inside.

"We were fighting for the lead, so I stayed tight to ensure he'd be on the dirty side of the track as we approached the braking area. I was holding my line and he came across on me.

"We made contact. It was only a light touch, but when you're travelling at 300kmh (186mph) that's all you need for a situation to end in tears."

Hamilton: We'll keep it professional

Lewis Hamilton is convinced he and McLaren team-mate Jenson Button will never become embroiled in an on-track furore.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is now faced with picking up the pieces following Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix in which Sebastian Vettel collided with team-mate Mark Webber.

The shunt that sent Vettel into retirement cost the team 28 points and their lead of the constructors' championship as they now trail McLaren by a point as Hamilton led a one-two with Jenson Button.

The British duo, though, were almost involved in their own coming together 10 laps after Vettel turned into Webber, who had been on course for a third consecutive win, only to trail home third.

Although Button temporarily grabbed the lead off Hamilton as they diced side by side through Turns 12, 13 and 14, he soon gave it up for good to the 25-year-old at Turn One.

It was hair-raising stuff for all within McLaren, and perhaps a sign of things to come should the title fight become even hotter as the season progresses.

But Hamilton is adamant it will never descend into them sending one another off the circuit.

"It won't happen with me and Jenson," insisted Hamilton, speaking to Press Association Sport.

"We're both world champions, we're both professionals, and we both have a huge amount of respect for each other.

"We want to finish the race, we do both want to win, but not in an aggressive manner.

"For sure you want to be ahead, so if you finish second you're not the happiest, but he is a very supportive team-mate, he is doing a solid job, and I know when I win he is happy for me and vice versa.

"We had a great battle out there, he wasn't aggressive, he wasn't silly, he didn't make any stupid mistakes, and that's why it was a good fight.

"So I have no doubts the rest of the year will be the same."

There appeared to be a degree of friction between them immediately after the race, with Hamilton perhaps wondering how Button had made a move when they had both been told to turn down their engine to save fuel.

Yet the bonhomie later returned as they were united for the celebratory team photo that always follows a victory.

And as Hamilton departed the McLaren brand centre with Pussycat Doll girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, he gave Button's dad John a firm hug.

"He's been nothing but a positive energy on the team, polite to me and he is a great bloke to get on with," added Hamilton on Button.

"We get on well, we work well together on and off the circuit, and I feel it's great to have a team-mate supporting me in the races as well.

"He was right there behind me helping me fight with the Red Bulls."

Red Bull principal faces tough test

Christian Horner faces arguably the most testing time of his tenure as team principal of Red Bull Racing over the next two weeks.

Horner will begin to deal with the damaging headlines following a Turkish Grand Prix to forget as drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel blew a near-certain one-two finish.

Vettel's collision with Webber on lap 40, when he turned into his team-mate as he attempted to pass up the inside down the straight into Turn 12, culminated in the German spinning into retirement.

In an inconclusive aftermath Vettel claimed Webber should have given him room; Webber countered Vettel should not have turned into him, whilst Horner blamed both, although slightly favoured the German.

Given prior rumours of a split in the camp, Sunday's incidents have added fuel to the fire that is now raging around Red Bull.

Certainly the comments of Helmut Marko, the right-hand man to team owner and energy drinks magnate Dietrich Mateschitz, in which he clearly blamed Webber, have further inflamed the situation.

What a contrast to two weeks ago when Red Bull appeared unbeatable after their one-two in Monaco which resulted in Webber and Vettel jumping into Monte Carlo's harbour in celebration.

Horner must now repair the apparent rift to ensure there will be no ongoing problem and the relationship does not sour further, otherwise Red Bull's championship challenge will disintegrate.

"It's one we will have to manage," said Horner, who now has just over a week to get the team's house in order before they head to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.

"They're both grown ups, they need to both look at it objectively, and we need to move on from here.

"What's happened has happened, and we need to make sure in going to the next race that as a team we learn from this and don't find ourselves in the same position again.

"The drivers need to learn from it because it's cost them and the team dearly. We gave McLaren their points on a plate.

"Clearly they are fairly strong-willed individuals, but they both drive for the team and they recognise that. No individual is bigger than the team.

"For me, it's not about blame, about whose fault it is, so we will sit down with both drivers, go through what's happened and do our best to ensure it doesn't happen again."

Horner categorically denied there was an Anglo-Austrian divide that could potentially rip the team apart as the season progresses.

But with McLaren clearly having made significant strides, Horner's concerns are growing ahead of the next two races.

"We have to bounce back, and we will in Montreal and Valencia," added Horner.

"But they are two tracks that are going to play to McLaren's straight-line advantage as they are very strong in that area.

"We will have to use the performance of our car in other areas, but it was very, very close between the two teams who were a long way ahead of the rest."

Button: Raging Red Bulls can help us

Jenson Button believes the blame game being played out at rivals Red Bull Racing plays into the hands of McLaren.

Following the accident between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel in yesterday's Turkish Grand Prix, the duo opened a rift as they pointed accusing fingers at each other.

The incident on lap 40, which resulted in Vettel spinning out of the race with a damaged right-rear wheel, allowed Lewis Hamilton to end a nine-race winless drought and spearhead a McLaren one-two.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner now faces the unenviable task of repairing the damage done by his drivers.

But after the incident at Istanbul Park, Button knows that will be far from easy given a driver's instinct and nature.

"We are all competitive and sometimes you find it difficult to back down in certain situations," said the reigning world champion.

"But when you look at the data and the footage someone's always in the wrong, so it's about owning up and moving forward.

"If they can't do that it will play into our hands because we go to Canada (on June 13) having finished first and second and those two having crashed.

"When you are not getting on I'm sure you don't share information as much. I don't know, I've never had it with a team-mate.

"But I think you can get hung up on trying to beat the guy that you bashed with, and maybe that will be an issue for them."

Button and Hamilton almost had their own crash 10 laps later as they tussled for the lead, but despite probable palpitations on the pit wall for their team bosses, they came through unscathed.

Hamilton is adamant that he and Button will never become embroiled in the skirmish that cost their rivals their own one-two.

"It won't happen with me and Jenson," he insisted. "We're both world champions, we're both professionals, and we both have a huge amount of respect for each other.

"We want to finish the race, we do both want to win, but not in an aggressive manner.

"For sure you want to be ahead, so if you finish second you're not the happiest, but he is a very supportive team-mate, he is doing a solid job and I know when I win he is happy for me and vice versa.

"We had a great battle out there, he wasn't aggressive, he wasn't silly, he didn't make any stupid mistakes, and that's why it was a good fight.

"So I have no doubts the rest of the year will be the same."

Addressing the issue himself, Button added: "I hope so as well.

"We are here to fight, to beat each other, to beat everyone, and whilst we are pretty hard when it comes to racing, I think we are fair as well.

"Plus there's the fact we don't want to crash because points are so important. Yes, we want to go for the victory but also finishing is key.

"It was a strange accident in a way. You always hope it is never going to happen to you and you do the best you can to make sure it doesn't."

The respect Button and Hamilton have for each other is obvious, and not just because they are both British and the sport's two most recent world champions.

While some will attempt to find the cracks in their relationship, Button maintains they are wasting their time.

"He's probably the quickest guy I've ever raced alongside, one of the quickest Formula One has ever seen," Button said.

"For me that's exciting racing alongside him, and in a way judging yourself alongside him because I've a lot of respect for him.

"So yeah, I would say he's a good team-mate in the way that he's quick and he never gives up.

"It's fun to race alongside someone like that, but he is also very open. We're very open and say what we think. We discuss everything.

"If we have an issue with each other we don't hide it and talk about the other one behind their back.

"It's straight out and very straightforward, the way you have to be if you want to fight for a championship."

Webber-Vettel feud intensifies

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel both blamed each other for the accident that robbed the team of a Turkish Grand Prix one-two.

Vettel's attempted pass up the inside of Webber on lap 40 of the 58-lap race culminated in a collision from which the 22-year-old German spun into retirement.

Forced off the track, Webber dropped to third behind McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, having enough in hand over the chasing pack to pit for a replacement front wing.

But claiming just 15 points when 43 were there for the taking had team principal Christian Horner seething with frustration after the race.

In assessing the damage caused, neither driver gave any ground, mirroring what had unfolded at the Istanbul Park circuit.

"Seb had big top-speed advantage and went down the inside, we went side-by-side and then it looked like he turned pretty quick right and we made contact," said Webber.

"I wasn't at all expecting that at that point, and that's why it happened so fast and there was contact.

"Of course, in Seb's car it obviously feels very bad for him that I've turned left into him.

"But I'm pretty confident there was some drift from his way and then it was a disaster."

After spinning to a halt off track, and as Webber drove past in front, Vettel raised a hand towards the 33-year-old as if to say 'what did you do that for?'

A second indicator as to Vettel's position followed after climbing out of his stricken car as he twice twirled his right index finger around by his temple, suggesting what had happened was crazy.

In a post-race media scrum, Vettel stormed: "I'm not in the happiest of moods.

"I was on the inside going into the corner. I was there, ahead and focusing on the braking point and then we touched.

"Mark's car hit my rear right wheel and I went off. As far as I'm concerned I was not over eager. I felt I was a little bit faster.

"What happened was very silly among team-mates. As a team-mate you should give each other some room."

As for Horner, he blamed both his drivers - Webber for not giving Vettel space, and the German for attempting to cut across the Australian.

Offering his explanation after the post-race debrief, Horner said: "I think Mark has put Sebastian on the dirty side, giving him just enough room, but Sebastian has come across quite aggressively.

"He was quite a long way down the side, but came across too early, so it's very, very frustrating.

"We've seen the drivers racing each other previously and they are usually very, very good at giving each other room. But here, for whatever reason, that didn't happen.

"The frustrating thing is we have given away 28 points today as it should have been a one-two.

"From a team point of view it doesn't matter which way around they are, the priority is to finish one-two and that is exactly what we should have done."

Goss: Red Bull missed easy one-two

McLaren's chief engineer Tim Goss has rubbed salt into the wounds of Red Bull Racing by accusing their rivals of "throwing away an easy one-two".

In the absence of Dave Redding, whose wife was having a baby, Goss also served as acting team manager throughout the Turkish Grand Prix weekend.

It proved to be a special one for everyone within McLaren as Lewis Hamilton returned to winning ways after a nine-race drought, with team-mate Jenson Button claiming second.

The team's second one-two of the season, however, was handed to the Woking-based marque on a plate after the collision between Red Bull duo Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel on lap 40 of the 58-lap race.

Although Hamilton and Button duelled for the lead themselves 10 laps later, Goss feels Formula One's last two world champions showed Red Bull exactly how team-mates should behave on track.

"In this race Red Bull did not deliver," said Goss, put forward as McLaren spokesman as team principal Martin Whitmarsh and director of engineering Paddy Lowe had made a hasty exit due to an early flight.

"Their drivers were racing, our drivers were racing, but I think that just shows how well our drivers can manage themselves on the circuit.

"We employ them to be aggressive racing drivers, but they are both very, very sensible.

"They like to fight, they are both world champions and out to prove they're the best - a superior racing driver.

"But the way they have handled themselves on the circuit has been absolutely exceptional so far this year.

"There has been more than one occasion when they have been close to one another like that (in the race).

"The two of them can race and avoid each other, unlike our next-door neighbours who clearly threw an easy one-two away."

Goss could understand why Webber was told to turn down his engine, laid out by Red Bull boss Christian Horner as the reason why Vettel managed to get close enough to make a pass.

As Red Bull have had engine problems this season, Goss is warning of further issues down the line too for the Milton Keynes-based team.

"They had an engine failure with Vettel earlier in the season, an engine failure over the weekend, so they are potentially going to run out of engines this season," added Goss.

"In racing one-two we would be telling both our drivers to turn their engines down equally.

"But with Vettel and our two drivers chasing, it was a surprising thing to do, although I'm sure they knew we were trying to conserve fuel.

"Everything (the pit-to-car radio) gets broadcast these days and I'm sure they were listening to it."

Although unaware of any split in the Red Bull camp, as is being suggested, Goss firmly believes the battle between McLaren's stars and their rivals will continue unabated.

"They (Red Bull) and ourselves have two drivers trying to win the world championship," added Goss.

"I'm sure all four of them are going to be racing hard to the end of the season."

Webber to blame for Red Bull crash?

Tensions within the Red Bull racing team appear to have heightened after a crash between teammates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber during Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix.

The calamitous incident allowed McLaren's Lewis Hamilton to claim a victory despite Red Bull having led the race up until that point.

Fueling rumours of a feud between the drivers, Red Bull team strategist Helmut Marko backed the Vettel overtaking move that resulted in the coming together, implying that Webber was in the wrong.

 "He (Vettel) had to attack otherwise he would have got overtaken by Hamilton (who was in third place)," Marko said.

"Vettel was already ahead, at least two metres ahead, and there was a corner to the left side coming so he had to go for the line. Vettel was so much faster that he had to pass. " Marko concluded.

The 41st lap crash was shrouded in confusion.

Vettel, attempting to pass Webber on the inside, was marginally as he turned right to get a line into the looming corner, but he slammed into Webber, sending both cars spinning out of control.

The disastrous episode put Vettel out of the race, while Webber, who had been leading the Grand Prix, quickly pitted to repair some damage but was only able to finish third.

Vettel expressed his frustrations after the race, and defended his move to try and overtake Webber.

"If you watch it on the TV, you can see what happened. I'm not in the happiest of moods. I was on the inside going into the corner." Vettel claimed.

"We were all on the same pace during the race, I think I was a bit quicker than Mark for two or three laps, I was catching him and thought I could get him on the back straight."

"Mark's car hit my rear right wheel and I went off - there's not much more to say. This is something that happens, no one needs it, but there's not much you can do now."

Webber, who leads the Drivers' Championship with 93 points, defended his move, claiming he was surprised by Vettel's attempted move.

"Sebastian had a bit of a top speed advantage, he went down the inside and we were side by side. I was surprised when he came right suddenly, as I was holding my racing line. It happened very, very fast and it's a shame for the team. Not an ideal day", The Australian said.

"We've got great character in our team and two fast drivers at the front - we're not dicing for 15th and 16th - we're going for victories so there's clearly a lot at stake. I'll have a chat with Sebastian about it, we might have a difference of opinion but we'll be adults about it and press on."

"Neither of us wanted to make contact with each other. It's obviously not ideal, but it happened. In the end it wasn't the result that either of us wanted"

The crash allowed Lewis Hamilton to take first place, and set up a McLaren one-two that seemed unlikely before the incident.

Hamilton: I'm grateful for Red Bull crash

Lewis Hamilton was left grateful for Red Bull Racing's disastrous duel that turned him into a race-winner again.

Hamilton stood on the brink of equalling the worst winless drought of his Formula One career if he had not triumphed in the Turkish Grand Prix.

But after nine races without a win, Hamilton took the chequered flag at Istanbul Park, spearheading a McLaren one-two ahead of team-mate Jenson Button.

Sebastian Vettel's lap-40 collision with team-mate Mark Webber cost Red Bull their own one-two, the team collecting just 15 points for the Australian's eventual third instead of the 43 that were on offer.

Red Bull could potentially have been 43 points clear of McLaren in the constructors' standings if their drivers had swept the top two steps of the podium, but instead they are a point adrift of their rivals.

With the perfect vantage point to witness the accident as Hamilton was tailing Vettel at the time, he said: "It was great to watch.

"It was like an action movie in HD or 3D. It was fantastic. It was right ahead of me. I got the best view of it.

"It's the last thing you want to see, and fortunately Sebastian is safe.

"But I just saw Sebastian go up the inside and Mark hold his line.

"I don't think he really had much room to move to the right and I don't think there was necessarily a reason for Sebastian to try to move to the right.

"I think it was unfortunate for them, but all I can say is that it was fortunate for us because we've been working hard all year.

"I think myself and Jenson have deserved to be at the front row for some time, and so today was good."

Hamilton was cheered on for the first time this year by Pussycat Doll girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, who was reluctantly dragged into the post-race celebration team photo in which all the McLaren personnel wear rocket-red victory t-shirts.

"I just got so excited in the garage," said Scherzinger, who was jumping up and down at times during the race's events.

"But I'm just so proud of him."

The 31-year-old could now be adopted as Hamilton's lucky mascot as the 2008 world champion added: "Every time she seems to come I seem to win.

"It was Monaco 2008 she was there, and then Hungary and Singapore last year, so she is definitely a little bit lucky for me I think."

Hamilton and Button did cause their own moment of consternation at the end of lap 49, and the start of lap 50, when they diced for the lead, even touching wheels at one point.

Button initially managed to squeeze past his team-mate into Turn 12 before losing out for good on the run down to Turn One as Hamilton reclaimed the lead.

"I'm sure they were biting their nails all the time," said Hamilton in reference to the likes of team boss Martin Whitmarsh and Paddy Lowe, the director of engineering, on the pit wall.

"But it was a really fair battle with him, and a great result for the team."

Hamilton: It was an exciting race

Lewis Hamilton was in exuberant mood after winning his first race of the season at Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday.

A happy Hamilton said: "It was quite an exciting race actually. "We knew we had great race pace, but they (Red Bull) had such pace through Turn Eight that we couldn't slipstream, other than that I was on his tail.

"Then I had a problem with the right rear at my pit stop and I lost a place to Vettel.

"I don't know what happened to these guys (Red Bull), but we got through and then I had a great battle with Jenson.

"I'd like to dedicate this win to my dad (Anthony) as it's his 50th birthday. It's a great way for him to celebrate."

Button added: "It was good fun, but then after Lewis got past I was into fuel save mode as well.

"The race was a lot quicker than we thought it would be, but three weeks ago who would have though we would battle with the Red Bulls like we have."

As for Webber, he bit his tongue in describing what happened with Vettel as he said: "Seb had top-speed advantage.

"He then went down the inside, we were side by side, it looked like he turned quick right and we made contact.

"It's a shame for the team and not an ideal day. It can happen sometimes and when you are at the front it's difficult.

"There was a long way to go into the race, so it wasn't a guaranteed victory, but it was an interesting few metres on the track between us."

Hamilton leads McLaren 1-2 as Red Bulls self destruct

The champagne flies after the McLaren 1-2 

Lewis Hamilton led home team-mate Jenson Button for a McLaren 1-2 in the Turkish Grand Prix, capitalising on a collision between the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel as the pair appeared on course for another dominant victory.

Webber recovered to take third but looked livid on the podium as he reflected on what might have been. The incident happened entering turn 12 on the 41st of 58 laps as Vettel had a run on Webber down the long back straight and attempted a move up the inside for the lead. Webber pushed Vettel close to the grass but the German kept his foot in and then drifted back across the track for the entry to turn 12. The pair clipped wheels with Vettel coming off significantly worse and suffering a rear puncture and suspension damage that put an end to his race.

The McLarens took the lead as a result, but the race was far from over. After Hamilton and Button had been told to save fuel, Button attempted a move on Hamilton into turn 12. Hamilton put up a fight and they went through the next two corners wheel-to-wheel. Button managed to hold the lead out of the final part of the chicane but Hamilton had a better exit and barged his way back past into turn one. Button had to concede ground and ran a wide to avoid an accident. A curt reminder to the pair over their radios ensured the remaining laps were less eventful.

From that point onwards the action at the front died down and Hamilton, Button and Webber held formation to finish one-two-three. In fourth was Michael Schumacher with a season best result ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Robert Kubica finished a respectable sixth for Renault and, although he looked quicker than Rosberg at times, never got a run at the Mercedes for position.

The end for Sebastian Vettel after his collision with Mark Webber 

Ferrari's Felipe Massa had a quiet race to seventh, one place ahead of team-mate Alonso, who pitted early from 12th to move up through the field and eventually finish eighth. To gain the last position he had a very tight battle with Vitaly Petrov, in which the Renault rookie came off worse and had to pit for a new front tyre.

Adrian Sutil recovered well from a slightly disappointing qualifying position to score two points for Force India in ninth. He pulled an impressive move on Kamui Kobayashi in the closing stages to take tenth, making use of the long back straight to slipstream the Sauber into turn 12. Kobayashi eventually finished in the top ten but only after Petrov's accident dropped him down the field. Outside the points, Pedro de la Rosa acted as a rear gunner to his Sauber team-mate and held off Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso in the final laps.

Only four other cars retired alongside Vettel, with both HRTs ending their races in the garage and the two Lotuses succumbing to hydraulic faults.

Turkish Grand Prix 2010

	Drivers	Teams	Points
1	LC Hamilton (GBR)	McLaren	25
2	J Button (GBR)	McLaren	18
3	M Webber (AUS)	Red Bull	15
4	M Schumacher (GER)	Mercedes	12
5	N Rosberg (GER)	Mercedes	10
6	R Kubica (POL)	Renault	8
7	F Massa (BRA)	Ferrari	6
8	F Alonso (ESP)	Ferrari	4
9	A Sutil (GER)	Force India	2
10	K Kobayashi (JPN)	BMW Sauber	1
11	PM de la Rosa (ESP)	BMW Sauber	-
12	J Alguersuari (ESP)	Toro Rosso	-
13	V Liuzzi (ITA)	Force India	-
14	RG Barrichello (BRA)	Williams	-
15	V Petrov (RUS)	Renault	-
16	S Buemi (SUI)	Toro Rosso	-
17	N Hülkenberg (GER)	Williams	-
18	T Glock (GER)	Virgin	-
19	L di Grassi (BRA)	Virgin	-