Mark Webber says Silverstone pole not a 'reply' to exhaust rules row

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner had argued that the champion squad would be at a "disadvantage" after the FIA ruled that the Renault-powered teams could not continue to run 50 per cent throttle opened under braking after all.

But that did not stop Webber and team-mate Sebastian Vettel wrapping up yet another all-Red Bull front row at Silverstone.

Asked if the result was Red Bull's 'reply' to the rules situation, Webber replied: "No, it is not. We are not looking to reply to anything. What has to be reiterated is that our team has turned up very, very early and left very, very late. Every team works hard but this team works incredibly hard.

"We concentrate on that, what is happening in the last few months is not what we have done in the last few months, it is years of work to put ourselves in this situation.

"We have seen today that we are still going okay, but irrespective of lap times it is an interpretation of rules and principles. Whether we are on pole or 10th, the team will continue to have a stance on what is correct. It is not a comeback from what we had today."

He said having to cope with rule adjustment was nothing new for Red Bull.

"I think the team has handled it pretty well, Seb and I concentrate on the driving," said Webber. "It's nothing new for our team - adjustable ride height control, front wing and nothing new, we always have a new thing to talk about.

"Let's hope everyone can find a common ground, even for the fans they cannot understand 0.1 per cent of what is going on."