Horner hits back over Webber criticism
Korean Grand Prix
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described claims that driver Mark Webber tried to take one of his championship rivals out during the Korean Grand Prix as “absurd”.
After crashing into a wall on lap 19 of the race Webber’s car swung into the path of Nico Rosberg.
The Mercedes driver was running fourth at the time in between Webber’s championship rivals Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
Gerhard Berger was quoted saying it was “clear” Webber hoped to take another driver out after crashing during the Korean Grand Prix, adding “He took out Rosberg, but it was the wrong one. I think in his mind he would have preferred Alonso or Hamilton.”
Horner told the Daily Telegraph:
As with every incident in Formula One, opinions will always be made without all the facts. Just to be absolutely clear – Mark’s intention was not to take out another driver after his crash in the Korean Grand Prix and it’s ridiculous to suggest otherwise.
After Mark’s impact with the wall, it was clear on the TV and from the data that his car was badly damaged. However, the natural and immediate instinct of any competitive driver is not to give up and to keep going.
In the atrocious conditions, Mark made the snap decision to continue as every driver would in that situation – it’s absurd to suggest that Mark would ever deliberately take out another driver.
Christian Horner
Rosberg also questioned Webber’s actions during the crashsaying it was “crazy” of him to allow his car to roll back across the track.
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Gazz. said on 28th October 2010, 15:11
If I’m Honest I Thought It Was Ridiculous To Accuse Webber Of This At First.
But Now I’m Nearly Almost Sure That He Intended To Hit Someone I’m Thinking More Lewis Than Alonso He Must Have Known Alonso Was Well Clear
Watch The Onboard Footage From Webber’s Car:
You Can See That Once He Has Hit The Wall He Starts To Come Back Across The Track, Notice He Flips The Wheel And IS Actually Looking In His Mirror (You See His Head Turned To The Direction Of His Right Mirror) He Holds The Wheel In Position And Begins To Adjust It Toward The End Before Hitting Rosberg. He Was Clearly Looking In His Mirrors So He Saw A Silver Car? Yellow Helmet? If He Did Intend To Take Someone Out He Obviously Thought The Car In His Mirror Was Lewis. He Would Have No Reason To Take Out Rosberg (As By Doing So It Just Benefits Lewis By Giving Him Position On-Track)
Study The Footage Carefully.
Gazz. said on 28th October 2010, 15:13
Apologies I Screwed Up The Link =(
Just Click On The Highlighted Text It Will Take You To The Footage.
DeadManWoking said on 28th October 2010, 23:20
The Link isn’t the only thing you Screwed Up!
Webber spun and hit the wall going backwards and he continued going backwards across the track to the other side. Rosberg would only have been in mirror for a split second before he hit him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnseQosNQwY
There has been 4 pages of this nonsense over what was clearly an unintentional racing incident.
enka said on 28th October 2010, 17:19
Keith, a poll for this one please …
a) voluntary doing nothing to prevent an avoidable crash
b) deliberately steering across the track
c) undecided
Patrickl (@patrickl) said on 28th October 2010, 18:51
- purposefully rolling back on track when the car could have stayed off track.
Byron R said on 28th October 2010, 19:39
Berger should never be asked to steward a race again. Not a very impartial comment made by a former steward, who has no RB telemetry to back his accusation.
You conspiracy spitters are rediculous. Get real.
Snobeck said on 29th October 2010, 1:28
One thing is certain, conspiracy theories and biases will only grow in intensity as the season comes down to the wire. No matter what, people will be blinded from the facts and share their own skewed viewpoints — I don’t think it’s worth taking too seriously ;)
I love this… It’s like a political race.
Joe said on 29th October 2010, 5:19
1. Webber left the steering wheel just before impact and grabbed it after impact (for obvious reasons). he had no imput into steering.
2. Webber had broken his rear left suspension losing road contact with front right and rear left tyres. Leaving only two tyres to even attempt braking.
3. It would have taken Webber a second to realise he had terminal damage, the same time it took for Rosberg to collide with him.
Anybody that has followed Webber’s career knows he is just about the cleanest racer going around, and to suggest otherwise is misguided.
Joe said on 29th October 2010, 5:26
Gazz. He was not looking in his mirrors, and he did not do any steering. He was looking at Rosberg to know if he should tense up for collision. Webber is innocent. He is also belting his much more fancied team mate in the championship. When are people going to give this driver the respect he deserves?
Gazz. said on 30th October 2010, 15:03
In Reply To Joe’s Comment
“He was not looking in his mirrors, and he did not do any steering. He was looking at Rosberg to know if he should tense up for collision”
Well If he was Looking At Rosberg Then He Was Clearly Using His Mirrors To Do So!
And C’mon He Was CLEARLY Holding The Steering Wheel In The Given Position, His Hands Are On The Damn Thing!
“He is also belting his much more fancied team mate in the championship”
Really? Yes The Points Speak For Themselves But Thinking about Pure Pace Then As Much As I Hate Vettel, He Should Be Leading This By A Considerable Margin. I Respect Webber Fully, Id Rather See Him Win The Championship Than The Likes Of Alonso Or Vettel, But On This Occasion I Think He Has Done Wrong. OPINION Not Fact.
DeadManWoking said on 30th October 2010, 15:22
He was going Backwards On The Track ,Rosberg wasn’t in his mirror until they hit!
Why do you persist in this absolute nonsense?
Gazz. said on 31st October 2010, 12:42
All Im Saying is That He WAS Looking In His Mirrors, Yes It Was Literally For A Split Second But This Reverts us Back To the Original Debate Why Didnt He Brake? No One From RBR has Mentioned Brake Failure! So He Could Have Avoided That Incedent, Therefore He Should Get A Penalty At Interlagos.
Nick said on 29th October 2010, 7:03
The more I look at the footage the more I’m convinced Webber should be penalized. Unless he suffered from brake failure, which has not been stated by Red Bull, then he had ample time to process the idea that he should have braked; Webber himself said the whole thing felt like it was in slow motion, and most importantly, he said it was all his fault – not the cars (meaning no failure). His Fault because of how he managed the situation which lead to crash into the wall and for taking out Rosberg.
But…As a Hamilton fan, I think it would be better for Lewis if Webber is not penalized, as he needs Webber to take points from Alonso.
drezone said on 31st October 2010, 0:31
Wow what a great debate!
If Berger hadn’t decided he needed some attention because he hasn’t been in the news for a while, and if Rosberg hadn’t gone “Great this would justify me out of a potential podium, why didn’t I think of this”, then I don’t believe anybody else accused Webber of a delibirate accident. (i.e Ferrai or McLaren)
Afterall everyone seems to thin that Webber was trying to take out Hamilton. Wouldn’t Alonso be the bigger threat and what about his team mate Vettel??? some people just have no idea.