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Red Bull aims to move on as McLaren looks to pounce

ESPNF1 Staff
June 1, 2010 « 2011 cars being designed around current tyres | »
Mark Webber: "We need to find a way of racing together that doesn't compromise the team" © Sutton Images
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Red Bull has vowed to move on from its disastrous race in Turkey for the good of the team as it now faces a serious challenge from McLaren.

The two Red Bulls came together on track during the race, handing McLaren the lead and the top spot in the constructors' championship. There is plenty of speculation about a rift in the team, but Mark Webber reiterated that he wants to patch up and move on.

"We'll probably have a difference of opinion about what happened 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," he wrote in his column for the Australian newspaper Daily Telegraph.

Meanwhile, a Red Bull source told the Independent that a calm-down meeting had already been held in Turkey, but that is at odds with reports that Sebastian Vettel left the circuit early.

"We had a detailed meeting and everyone had their say. There was no way that feelings were going to be allowed to fester. The matter is now all talked through," said the unnamed source.

When team principal Christain Horner was asked if the team had been split by the incident, he responded: "Absolutely not."

"Both drivers drive for the team, no individual is bigger than the team, and while both drivers lost points today the team have lost a lot of points."

Former Red Bull and McLaren driver David Coulthard warned of the dangers of an internal conflict.

"It is a fact that within a racing team, it's the worst possible scenario," the Scot said, recalling his collision with Mika Hakkinen in Austria in 1999, where afterwards the Finn "did not want to talk to me.

"You need to sort out these messes before the next race, otherwise it just continues to be a distraction," said Coulthard. "The team's task is to get the drivers to talk it through."

At the same time, Red Bull's nearest title rival McLaren is attempting to the infighting to its advantage.

"If they don't kiss and make up it means they won't be sharing information as much at the next race," said Jenson Button.

Offering advice to the Webber and Vettel, he added: "It's about owning up and moving forward. If they can't do that, it will play into our hands. We were quicker than the Red Bulls. "It's amazing how much of a leap we've made. We've bridged the gap and the rest have stayed back."

And Lewis Hamilton took a dig at Webber and Vettel by pointing out that he and Button did not collide when they similarly diced for position in Turkey. "That's why we are world champions. I am proud to have him [Button] as my teammate."

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