Webber will re-sign for Red Bull, says team owner

LONDON (Reuters): Austr-alian Mark Webber will re-sign for Formula One champions Red Bull, team owner Dietrich Mateschitz was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

The Austrian energy drink billionaire told autosport.com that there were no doubts about the 34-year-old despite the driver ignoring team orders at last weekend’s British Grand Prix.

“Mark Webber will re-sign with us,” Mateschitz said. “This will happen for sure. He is very popular within the team, he feels very comfortable and it is an excellent relationship. He knows this and we know it.

“To be honest, Mark has no better choice than the fastest car and we have no better choice for a fast driver.”

The Austrian said he had no problem with Webber turning a deaf ear to instructions not to try to pass team mate and championship leader Sebastian Vettel in the closing laps at Silverstone.

“This is no problem for us,” he said. “Sebastian realised that (Ferrari’s) Fernando Alonso was gone and could not be caught anymore, so he backed down.

“This let Mark close in. He would be a very bad racer had he not tried to attack and gain a position.”

Alonso won the British Grand Prix, with world champion Vettel second and Webber third.

The Australian, second in the championship but 80 points behind his team mate, said after the race he had ignored orders for him to maintain position.

His stance had raised questions about the future, with Webber out of contract at the end of the year.