Webber baffled by seat problem
Mark Webber claimed he and the team did everything they could to try and continue in the Japanese Grand Prix, but he eventually had no choice but to retire from the race with an overheating seat problem
The Australian, who started an impressive third on the grid for Jaguar's penultimate race in F1, was battling for a points finish when he had to pit because he was getting burnt by his seat and seatbelt buckle.
After the team threw water over him in a bid to cool him down, Webber returned to the track but a few laps later, with the problem not getting any better, the Williams-bound driver had to park up in the pits.
"On lap seven I noticed that the cockpit was becoming increasingly hot and in particular my right-hand side," he said. "I pitted as planned on lap 11 and the team tried to cool me down and solve the problem.
"We could not find the cause for the heat and so I carried on in the hope that it would cool down or at least remain static. It didn't and the heat soon became excruciatingly hot and I had no option but to retire.
"You need to be completely focused on the race and when the temperature is so high that you are being physically affected and thus distracted then you need to take the decision to stop. I am of course disappointed that I could not have continued with the race and finished in the points."
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