Formula 1 - News

Thursday, March 13, 2008 - We're ready: Webber - Nicholas Briggs, PA Sport - Friday, 14 March 2008

Mark Webber is confident his Red Bull team are well equipped to cope with what he expects to be an intense battle between the midfield runners over the course of the 2008 Formula One season. The Australian endured contrasting fortunes in 2007 as a podium at the European Grand Prix, a couple of other points-scoring finishes and a second place in Japan that was wrenched from his grasp when he was shunted out of the race by Sebastian Vettel were offset by a further spate of disappointing retirements. With Ferrari and McLaren expected to once again occupy the top four places, and BMW Sauber seemingly establishing themselves as the best of the rest, Red Bull face a desperate scrap for the final few points alongside Renault, Williams and Toyota. Webber believes the team are in great shape going into the season's opening race at Albert Park in Melbourne after a winter of successful testing, but concedes there is little to choose between the rivals. "We could be anywhere in that group," he said. "It's going to be tight. Obviously Fernando (Alonso) will be pretty competitive in the Renault and Nico (Rosberg) in the Williams. We need BMW to make mistakes really to get into the back of them." "It's probably the best winter we've had in terms of reliability, general mileage and set-up. It gives us a bit of momentum really and a bit of confidence. "The sparring's over and we just need to race really and see where all the hard work over the winter comes out. "BMW really are the ones we don't know where they are going to pop out. We think they'll be third-quickest, it's a shame they've managed to rattle themselves away from that fight." The future of Sunday's 58-lap contest has been the subject of intense debate since Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone announced it would have to switch to a night race or risk losing its place on the calendar. Next year's event has already been pushed back to a five o'clock start and Webber accepts the organisers need to be flexible to ensure the Australian Grand Prix's future in Formula One. "It seems like there has to be a compromise," he added. "There's quite a few Formula One fans in Australia that watch all European races but there's not the population they have in Europe." "Other sports move their timeslots around a little bit. This is a one-off race that is the furthest race away time zone wise from the northern hemisphere." "I don't know if it's fair, they're looking at different ways to try and keep the race here and if we have to move the race time around a little bit, it doesn't affect us. "I think it's just about cash, it doesn't really matter when they run the race." After announcing his arrival in Formula One in 2002 with a stunning fifth-placed finish at Albert Park in a struggling Minardi, Webber has subsequently failed to eclipse that performance. However, the 31-year-old believes a podium on Sunday would match his effort of six years ago, although he admitted it would take a huge slice of good fortune to realise that ambition. "Fourth would be sensational but if we were to get a jammy podium, that would match it (2002)," he said. "We can't drive onto the podium with real pace because we're not quick enough to do that but if there's a bit of attrition, a bit of a crazy race for whatever reason, I've been in races like that before where I've picked up podiums."