Q: Mark, it was a great race for you…Mark Webber: Yeah! It was not an easy Grand Prix. We knew that the start these days is very, very crucial - and how the strategy then unfolds, especially at venues like this where it is really difficult to make options open up in the race by passing people. So I was a little bit on the back foot fighting with Sebastian (Vettel) and also with Fernando (Alonso) very quickly and settling in for the first stint thinking that we have to jump Ferrari. Then the safety car came out and the guys told me to stay out and when I saw Fernando coming into the pit lane I thought ‘Go in, go in!’ And then I saw him going in and I knew that now we have a chance to do something - and that’s what happened. I settled for a very long stint on the soft tyres and tried to get that 20-second lead over Fernando which I needed not to come in second after pitting, because anything under 20 seconds would have meant P2. We got that, even though the left-front tyre was a bit like toast, but from then I was able to control the race. And it was a nice race celebrating my 150th Grand Prix! Sure the team lost some points with Sebastian’s situation with the safety car, but still it was a great day for the team.
Q: When did you have the feeling that this could be your race?
MW: I knew early on that I had to feed Fernando, that he was the guy I had to get away from. But somehow I got away from everybody and said to myself ‘Hey, that looks interesting, I can beat everyone!’ And actually I did. The strategy for me was just perfect and the car was super reliable.
Q: You are now at the top of the championship standings, even though it is really, really tight. Will you try to keep the momentum or just relax for the next couple of weeks as Formula One takes its traditional summer break?
MW: To be honest I am looking for a little bit of relaxation - and then preparing for Spa. If you are only five points in the lead and you have five drivers within 20 points you better keep your momentum, as there is still a lot of water going under the bridge before the championship is decided. But believe me, it is nice to have a couple more points than other people - in fact it’s a good problem to have before the break!
Q: You were a bit frustrated after qualifying, but as you always say, there is a race following qualifying…
MW: Yes, Saturday was not that fantastic, but today the safety car stirred up everything. The problem is nowadays that with the refuelling ban you can hardly work on the strategy, so at tracks like this coming out first of the first corner can mean the podium. So again, thank God for the safety car.
Q: It’s your fourth race win this season. How did this one feel?
MW: They all feel special. All my victories have somewhat been earned, either from pole position or from turning fortune to my favour. And sure today there was a certain amount of fortune involved, but I’ve been around long enough to know that you also have to be ready when luck strikes.
Source: Formula1.com
