Formula One news

Brawn to be at front, predicts Webber

Mark Webber believes that the Brawn team will remain tough to beat at this weekend's British Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver, who finished second to Jenson Button in Istanbul two weekends ago, was surprised by the white cars' pace but is hoping to close the gap at Silverstone.

Red Bull drivers Webber and Vettel flank race winner Jenson Button in Turkey

With seven races down, Jenson Button's rivals have a further ten races and a maximum of 100 points available before the end of this year's World Championship. With Red Bull clearly the second quickest team behind Brawn at Istanbul Park, however, Webber continues to feel that the upper hand lies with Brawn.

"We are the only team to have beaten Brawn in a race this year, but that was in the wet in China," the Australian told the BBC. "No-one has beaten them in the dry and that's what we're trying to do; we'll have to wait and see how we compare to them at Silverstone - I expect us to be strong there, but whether it's enough I don't know."

Webber passes Button's Honda at Silverstone in 2008

Optimism remains at a cautious level, though, as the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull squad expected more from Turkey. "We expected to have an advantage on Brawn at Turn 8 but it wasn't the case - we were pretty much even," Mark continued. "That's a very specific corner - it's banked and has a lot of bumps - and many of the corners at Silverstone are probably more similar to the two quick ones at Barcelona, Turns 3 and 9, where our car was better than theirs."

Webber went on to describe that Red Bull's true pace behind the leading Button and Rubens Barrichello in Spain was masked by the slower Ferrari of Felipe Massa, so is therefore hoping to avoid traffic and demonstrate his car's full abilities in what could be the last British Grand Prix at Silverstone for some time.

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