• British Grand Prix

Webber tips McLaren as favourites at Silverstone

Mark Webber: "We're not kidding ourselves that we're going to be driving away from the rest of the field" © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• British Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• McLaren
• |
• Red Bull

Mark Webber does not think Red Bull will be able to run away and hide at Silverstone this weekend, and has backed McLaren as the favourites ahead of the weekend.

Red Bull showed impressive pace in Valencia with Sebastian Vettel taking pole position and building a 20-second lead early in the race. The RB8 was running a very visible update to the rear of the car but Webber does not think it is a magic bullet that will make the car quick everywhere.

"For sure we didn't make the car slower in Valencia," he said. "It was a step in the right direction but we're not kidding ourselves that we're going to be driving away from the rest of the field, I don't think that is going to be the case. But it was a good weekend in many situations in terms of development of the car."

Webber reasoned that Lewis Hamilton and McLaren would be quick this weekend after showing very strong pace at the last high-speed circuit on the calendar.

"Lewis was quick in Barcelona but he got a penalty so had to start at the back of the grid. McLaren are probably the favourites round here in terms of what we saw in Barcelona, but the form card is very hard to predict."

Webber is currently second in the drivers' championship and 20 points off leader Fernando Alonso. Asked about his chances of securing the title this year, Webber said: "My chances are as good as anyone else, I would say. Obviously I'm with a very good team, I've driven very well over the last six races last year and the first six or seven races this year. It looks like 2010, in terms of how tight it can be, and you've got to stay in the hunt and be consistent, but you've still got to win - you cannot just get your fourths and fifths. You need to have the opportunity to win grands prix and then make sure you are finishing the other ones because DNFs obviously hurt quite a bit as well."

As things stand, Webber's Red Bull contract will expire at the end of this year, but he said retirement was an unlikely option.

"I really, really am enjoying driving the car," he added. "For next year, there's a pretty decent chance I'll be racing in Formula One. Let's see come November."

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