Webber concedes title fight is over after Italian Grand Prix retirement

Vettel took his eighth win of the season at Monza last weekend to extend his lead in the standings to 112 points over Ferrari's Fernando Alonso with six races left.

Vettel would be champion in the next race in Singapore if he wins the race and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is second, Webber or Jenson Button finish lower than second, and Alonso finishes outside the podium.

The reigning world champion said earlier this week that there was still work to do to secure the title, but Red Bull team-mate Webber reckons there is nothing his rivals can do.

"Seb won the race again and, although he is not quite champion again yet, we're all now effectively fighting for second place," Webber wrote in his column for the BBC website.

On Sunday, Webber suffered his first retirement since last year's Korean Grand Prix after he made contact with Ferrari's Felipe Massa when trying to overtake the Brazilian.

The Australian, who dropped to third in the standings, admitted he should have been more patient in trying to pass Massa.

"The Italian Grand Prix was one of those races that remind you how much it sucks to not finish," he added.

"It's been a while for me, but it's such a frustrating feeling - both for yourself and for the team after all the effort that has gone in. It was doubly disappointing in Monza because the car was better than it has been all year."

"It felt phenomenal in the first few laps, and I just got a bit carried away trying to come back through the field. I should have been much more patient with Felipe Massa.

"The move was certainly on, but I clipped the kerb and we collided. And then I couldn't get the car back to the pits because there was some stuff jammed underneath and I went straight on into the barriers at Parabolica."