Webber: Schedule change no big deal

Organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix today announced that they have withdrawn the event from its opening slot on the calendar.

Red Bull and Ferrari have stood out as two of the early favourites with their cars having performed strongly in the first three pre-season tests.

But while Bahrain's omission means the season will not now begin until March 27 in Melbourne, buying the teams extra time to prepare, Webber says Red Bull would have been ready to race had the Sakhir event gone ahead as scheduled.

"Everybody, to be honest, doesn't matter what team or what situation you are in, you need a little more time," said Webber. "I think we are absolutely prepared to race in two weeks and we would have been there of course and obviously you've got another 10 days headroom, I suppose.

"The freight has probably got to leave pretty early to Melbourne so, you know, same for everybody, swings and roundabouts. I don't think having that extra two weeks is going to make a huge difference to many teams for the first result in Melbourne.

"Might do in terms of the races after that in terms of being a little bit further prepared."

Webber added that while he was looking forward to the start of the season in Bahrain, he is happy that his campaign will now kick-off on home territory: "It would have been nice to go to Bahrain but we have to wait a bit longer to have our first race and that just happens to be my home race so, as always, looking forward to going down there.

"It's a sensational event and and we're in good shape as a team so I hope to go there and have a very good result of course," he added.

"A lot to answer going into the first grand prix of course. Another test still to go, depending on what happens to the testing, but I assume there will be one more test. First race there, back to the good old days."