Webber: Pizzonia Lied about Jaguar Treatment

Mark Webber has said former Jaguar teammate Antonio Pizzonia lied when he claimed the Australian was getting preferential teammate at the team.

Pizzonia was dropped from Jaguar after 11 races of the 2003 season when he failed to score a point as teammate to highly-rated Webber. The Brazilian reopened old sores earlier this year when he claimed, ahead of his Grand Prix comeback with Williams in Germany, that he was treated poorly by Jaguar.

Now Pizzonia and Webber could be reunited if the Amazonian lands the second racing seat at Williams.

"He knows he's been telling lies," Webber, testing at Jerez this week, was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "He says his car was different from mine? It's all bullshit. But if he really thinks so, then he's a loser. The truth is that Antonio was fast in testing, but couldn't do as well in the races.

"This year, when he took over from [Marc] Gene on Ralf Schumacher's Williams, he did well, but he didn't have too much pressure on him because he had nothing to lose. Things change when you are the race driver: in this case the responsibilities are much bigger. Especially if you're at the wheel of a Williams."

Webber, who left Jaguar at the end of the season to join Williams, said he was hoping he could team up with Jenson Button, but the Briton's move was blocked by his BAR team after Williams had claimed his services for 2005.

"In my opinion it's a shame, because Jenson at BAR demonstrated to be a great professional who worked nicely," Webber said.

"I'll end up with a lot more pressure on me. With Button, on the other hand, we could have better shared the development work, which will be very heavy. I know he would have been a tough customer, but I'm not overjoyed because in life sooner or later you are bound to find a tough rival on your path.

"Button, in this occasion, would have been the perfect reference point."

Regardless of who his teammate will be, however, Webber said he was delighted to be at Williams.

"I've found a very professional team," he said. "This is the only opinion I feel I can express at this time. I'm still in a learning phase, but when I'll finally feel at ease at the wheel, then I'll start pushing to make my mark. Obviously I'm happy to have the opportunity at last to show what I'm worth in a dream team."