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Webber, not Vettel, on Japan pole
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Red Bull’s Mark Webber took full advantage of mechanical problems plaguing his title-seeking teammate Sebastian Vettel yesterday as he snatched his first pole position of the year at the Japanese Grand Prix.
With all eyes on the runaway championship leader, who could secure a fourth successive world title today, the soon-to-retire Australian lapped 1 minute, 30.915 seconds around the Suzuka circuit to push Vettel into second on the grid.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes will start behind the Red Bulls on the second row alongside Lotus’s Romain Grosjean, with Felipe Massa of Ferrari and the second Mercedes of Nico Rosberg on the third rank.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg of Germany timed seventh, just ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. If Vettel wins today, the Spaniard will need to finish inside the top eight to keep the title race alive.
Webber’s rivalry with Vettel reached boiling point earlier this season when the German ignored team orders and overtook him to win the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Webber is quitting F1 at the end of the season. But he said pole position was a sweet farewell to pacy Suzuka, despite the advantage of Vettel driving without his speed-boosting Kinetic Energy Recovery System.
“Sebastian had a problem so it’s a little bit of a hollow pole,” the 37-year-old told reporters. “But you take them where you can get them. It’s not like they hand them out. You’ve still got to put the laps in.”
Webber pulled no punches when asked if he would let Vettel pass him if asked today.
“He’ll do his race tomorrow and I’ll do my race,” insisted Webber. “Seb’s had a phenomenal year. It’s not like it’s the last race of the championship ... In general we’ll be there for ourselves tomorrow.”
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