• Canadian Grand Prix

Webber anger at 'illegal' jibes

Mark Webber: "We're very optimistic that the change won't make much difference at all" © Sutton Images

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• News:
• Horner defends Webber's stance on legality claims
  
• News:
• FIA declares Red Bull floor holes illegal
  

• Race:
• Canadian Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• Red Bull

Mark Webber insists that Red Bull was going to change its floor regardless of any rule change from the FIA, but has reacted angrily to suggestions his Monaco victory was achieved in an illegal car.

Red Bull's floor featured slots in front of the rear wheels which the FIA had initially approved. McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes argued that it contravened the technical regulations and a clarification after the Monaco Grand Prix has forced Red Bull to remove the slots. Webber, however, said that it would not affect the car and that an upgrade planned for the next race would have seen the holes removed anyway.

"I would not know if the floor is changed or unchanged," Webber said. "So, the driving side we're very optimistic that the change won't make much difference at all. You won't believe us but we had some changes for Valencia anyway which included no hole irrespective of the rule change, so that's what we were doing."

Webber also angrily dismissed the notion that his and Sebastian Vettel's victories in 2012 have been tarnished by the car having to be changed.

"In relation to winning races with an illegal car; I'm happy to be called lots of things, I'm happy to have criticism about my driving and lots of stuff but I will not take criticism in that respect. It completely pisses me off to be honest, because the car has passed every single technical regulation after the race. All of the teams that were against it did not make any protest after Monaco. The car passed the test after Bahrain, the car passed the test after Monaco, and now there has been a clarification on the rule. The rule now is different and we had a car which was legal for the first part of the season. Now the rule has been changed and we will start again."

Despite Red Bull having yet to win in Canada, Webber said he expected to be strong at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

"The team has been competitive for three or four seasons now and the Montreal win has not been there for us. Obviously Seb [Vettel] was very close last year but lost the concentration at the end and Jenson was there to capitalise. Judging by how the start of the season has gone there is every chance we can still do well here. If you look at Spa and Monza last year we were very, very, very strong in those low downforce configuration tracks - actually stronger than we were on the other tracks - but I don't think that will carry over to this weekend, I think that there's no real form card. We come here confident but not crazy on confidence; we know we have a lot of strong competition."

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