Mark Webber Q&A

"It was well below par. We were just that little bit off in qualifying and needed to get the balance a step better. It was the same in the race, especially early on when we really, really struggled to keep the pace. The middle bit wasn't too bad, but we just weren't fast enough. Simple as that - no-one wants to hear excuses. In the last four races we've had two wins, a second and a fourth. But today was frustrating, very frustrating. It was a drive I felt I couldn't do much with, and I hate to admit that, but at least I came away with three points."



"Yeah, exactly. I just kept on it, and I was still in sight of the leaders, I just couldn't catch up with them. I was hoping it would rain a bit harder because that would have turned the race on its head a bit and given me the chance to make something of it. It was nice to see Tomas struggling up to the line! I was thinking, 'Am I gonna get him before the line - where is the bloody finish line?' It would've been close, but they've moved it a bit further down the straight, so I passed him easily enough. It was sweet!"



"I see it going all the way to the wire really. It's really tight. Nordic hasn't got the ball yet. We had a hard start to the season, but have scored a bag of points in the middle which has put us right in the fight. I want to make sure we can continue that. We've got two days of testing at Spa next week, along with everyone else, and we'll just keep doing our best."



"It's a bit like Williams coming along in Formula 1. They're consistently quick and consistently challenging us - they are good. They've blown us away at some circuits and we've blown them away at others. Sometimes they can't touch us, and vice versa. It's very even at the moment and it's anyone's guess who is going to do the business in the last four races."



"Hockenheim I'm not sure about yet, we didn't have a brilliant test there so we might have to see what we can get out of that one. With all the chicanes and slipstreaming and stuff, that's going to be interesting, for sure. I don't mind Budapest, Spa I like, and I've gone well at Monza too."



"I want to be racing in F1 next year as the F3000 champion, but I've got to win that first. Then I hope we can find a seat somewhere, but it's very difficult. I want to be in there because I deserve it. The F1 testing has gone very well. Benetton and Renault have wanted me to race F3000 this year to keep me race sharp alongside my F1 testing. I enjoy driving the F1 car. We'll have to see, anything can happen. We'll have to see where all the engines go first."



"It was pretty clear that when they took the option up on me I knew that there was no room at Renault for me, and Flavio [Briatore] was very clear about that when I signed the contract last year that would be the case. I always knew that, but I also knew there might be a chance somewhere else. OK, all the top seats are taken, and I never expected I'd be able to walk into a top drive, I know you've got to work for it."



"Yeah, someone like that, not one of the very top teams, but a team you can do a good job with and show if you've got it or not."



"It's not been easy to juggle both programmes. I think we cost ourselves a few [F3000] points initially with trying to do it a little bit too cheekily, not doing shakedowns and things like that. It seems to be working out fine at the moment, and I've done a lot of miles in the Benetton, which has been great. The big problem when you come back to an F3000 car is that it's easy not to give it enough respect because it's got less power, less grip. You just don't feel on top of the car and it's hard for me to then tell the guys what's happening, because I don't feel the car as well when I've been in the F1 car. It's a bit hard, but I know that people would give their right arm for the programme I've got! I'm flat out, mentally very busy, physically very busy, and just doing the best I can with the opportunity."