SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Webber expects stronger Red Bull

Mark Webber is confident of a resurgent Red Bull in this weekend's Singapore GP after a difficult race for the team at Monza.

Mark Webber is confident of a resurgent Red Bull in this weekend's Singapore GP after a difficult race for the team at Monza.

"It's back to a rear wing configuration that we'll do the majority of the season on," the Australian said. "It would be panic stations if we had to do the rest of the year on Spa/Monza settings but there'll probably be a bit of a re-set in terms of the pecking order, although how much remains to be seen."

Webber conceded that McLaren appeared to be on a bit of a roll at the moment with three poles and three wins in the last three races but does not think that anyone will consistently dominate the next few races.

"If you look at the size of the wings that some of the guys with Mercedes engines were running (at Monza), they were having quite a big DRS effect. Put a massive wing on the car and you're fast in the corners and quick on the straights. But it won't be the same here."

Webber himself has had a poor run in the last four races, dropping from second to fifth in the world championship table. At two of those races he has been afflicted by gearbox penalties, then struggled with more rear tyre degradation than team mate Vettel on the harder Pirelli tyre.

Since Silverstone, which Webber won, he has added just 16 points to his tally, while his rivals have scored 58 (Raikkonen), 51 (Button), 50 (Alonso and Hamilton) and 40 (Vettel).

"I'm not too worried about the position because we're all so close," Webber said in Singapore, "but you don't want to get too far out of control on the points. We've got to quickly improve, do a better job and get back to the front. But while we're sitting here like we're at a funeral, we're still leading the constructors' championship. Things can move around very fast."

Webber commented at the beginning of the season that last year's blown diffuser cars were pretty extreme and that he never felt wholly comfortable with them, while he feels much more at home in this year's RB8. He is hopeful that will translate in Singapore this weekend.

"At Monaco last year I wasn't in the picture then this year I was comfortable all weekend and we won the grand prix. The blown cars were a different philosophy and quite powerful at venues like this, so it may have amplified my negative aspects, so hopefully it will swing back the other way and I'll have a nice feeling for the car here and get the rhythm you need on street circuits."