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Too early to have contract talks with Webber - Horner

Mark Webber and Christian Horner - 'When the time comes with Mark, if he still has the motivation, desire and is competitive, it's logical to talk about extending his contract' © Getty Images

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• Drivers:
• Christian Horner
• |
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• Red Bull

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has said it is too early for him to sit down to discuss contracts with Mark Webber. Earlier this week Horner agreed a deal with Sebastian Vettel which will keep Vettel with the team until 2014.

"Mark's at a different stage of his career to Sebastian," Horner told the Press Association. "At 34 he's not just starting out. He's done 160 grands prix. When the time comes with Mark, if he still has the motivation, desire and is competitive, it's logical to talk about extending his contract.

"It's too early for either him or us to be having that conversation at the moment. That will take its natural course later in the year."

Unlike Vettel, Webber has opted for a year-by-year contract. "We jointly decided [that] last year … because a lot depends on him having the desire and motivation to continue," Horner said. "It's not just about being quick enough. He'll be 35 this year, and that's not to say he is too old, he has actually blossomed in the latter years.

"But what's important to him and to us is that he has the desire, motivation, hunger, and above all, competitiveness to want to stay and to warrant staying. Mark knows this year is a big year for him, that he will get equal support. He also knows he is not setting out at the beginning of his career.

"He is a shrewd enough guy to work that out for himself without me having to explain that to him."

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