‘Sebastian Vettel is beatable’, says Webber

Webber has said his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel is beatable, even with four wins from five races in 2011, and says that he’s identified the weaknesses in the German wunderkind.

“The first year together (in 2009) and this year he has an advantage,” Webber said. “Last year it was nip and tuck.

“We knew every lap that we did was virtually within a bee’s dick. This year, particularly on Saturday, he looks comfortable.”

Despite Vettel’s surge in form, Webber says he has a unique opportunity to identify and exploit any cracks in his armour.

“He rarely has an off day, but like every driver he has weaknesses and as a teammate you see more of those than other drivers do.

“I am still completely in the championship.

“Obviously he does a pretty good job but I’m not in awe of him. When you get it all right, he is beatable.”

Vettel however, holds a 41 point lead on 118 points over Lewis Hamilton on 77 with just five races gone, while Webber is a further 10 points back on 67.

Webber says that is not an insurmountable obstacle.

“Seb has a nice buffer over all of us and if that continues, it will get dangerous.

“But if it doesn’t and the McLaren drivers or myself start to share the victories around, then things change.”

Much publicised issues with the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) on the Red Bull hampered Webber in the opening rounds but after a stellar run in China, Webber was outclassed in Turkey, and endured a frustrating Spanish Grand Prix, finishing fourth.

The Australian remains upbeat about his difficult start to 2011.

“To have two podiums in the circumstances is not bad considering how fast McLaren have been,” he said.

“I’d have loved to have got more out of it, but I could be a shitload worse position than I am now.”

Buford Balony says: Vettel’s weakness is his teammate.

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