Vettel says team spirit not dented

As both he and team-mate Mark Webber made it clear at Hockenheim on Thursday that there was no lingering tension between them after the favouritism row that erupted at Silverstone, he said he was happy with how things were at the team.

"There was a lot of talk and a lot of press, but the most important thing you need to understand is it doesn't matter who wins the race - we are a team," he said.

"At Silverstone, Red Bull Racing won the race, Mark did, but for some reason we didn't get a lot of positive feedback. But we know where the focus is, and surely at this race, as everywhere else, the team is as motivated as ever.

"The most important thing is the atmosphere here - and it doesn't get affected by what is said or what is written."

Vettel is also confident that his performance in the German Grand Prix will not be affected by a minor leg injury he picked up earlier this week.

The Red Bull Racing was forced to skip a pre-German Grand Prix drivers' football match on Wednesday night as a precaution, but reckons there would be no issue in Hockenheim.

"I fell down when I was running," he said. "It was nothing special, but I had a bit of extension on the muscle of the leg. It is nothing big. I can walk."

Vettel's comments about the calm atmosphere at the team were backed by Webber, who spoke again about how he and the team had moved on from the events of Silverstone.

"It wasn't a huge drama - there was a little bit of stuff going on," he said. "Seb did nothing wrong to me at the last event...unfortunately we didn't get a 1-2 which we were more than capable of doing, but the team is ready to go forward.

"We are both committed and it is only natural that the media wants to wind up rivalry between team-mates, but Seb and I go about our jobs. We work for the same team and there is nothing wrong with that....the team is learning here and there all the way. It is healthy learning because we are fighting for wins and taking on the best teams in the pit lane, which is absolutely credit to us."