Webber Keeps Focus Despite Minardi Problems

Australian driver Mark Webber said on Thursday that the future of Minardi is out of his hands and admitted that his own position for 2003 will begin to unfold in the next two weeks.

Webber is in his first year in Formula One after being signed by compatriot Paul Stoddart but he may not complete the entire year if suggestions that the Anglo-Italian team are to fold are realised.

But Webber, who is contracted to Renault team boss Flavio Briatore, admitted that the fate of the ailing Minardi outfit is out of his control and said that he plans to just keep working hard as he looks to impress potential employers.

"It's not affecting me in terms of driving obviously, but the team is obviously in a difficult situation at the moment," said Webber. "There's a lot of stuff going on at the moment which is not good for us.

"But I'm just keeping my head down and concentrating on what I can do. There's not a lot that Mark Webber can do about the situation so hopefully everything will turn out okay. We had some things planned at least, but they just haven't happened because of getting the guys to those circuits and obviously the costs of that as well.

"So it's been a shame that we haven't been able to do the running we would have liked to have done together with Asiatech and develop a few things and also our wind tunnel time and things like that. For sure, we have suffered."

Webber, however, insisted that he has not put this season to the back of his mind and is as determined as ever to help Minardi rise from the back of the grid. But he admitted that his future should be clearer in the next ten weeks.

"I'm still concentrating a lot on this year at the moment so doing the best I can, but we'll see. Next year will come quick, I'm sure," he added. "Obviously I'm still under contract to Renault as well. When things start to fill up in the next eight to ten weeks, I think things will be under way."

Webber scored his first points in Formula One when he finished fifth in Australia in March to cap a sensational debut.