Helmut Marko talks about difference F1 drivers Webber & Vettel

Helmut Marko

Red Bull Racing Motorsport Director Dr Helmut Marko has suggested that Mark Webber is psychologically weak in comparison to team mate Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel claimed his third consecutive World Championship last November, at the age of 25, and will start the 2013 F1 season as favourite, while as Webber will be entering his final year with the Austrian team before entering probable retirement.

Marko, speaking in the RedBulletin, believes that Webber can’t handle the pressure that being in a world championship battle brings and that Vettel’s dominating form after the mid-summer break each year coincides with Webber’s downward spiral.

“It seems to me that Webber has on average two races per year where he is unbeatable, but he can’t maintain this form throughout the year. And as soon as his prospects start to look good in the world championship he has a little trouble with the pressure that this creates”.

Marko believes that Webber is psychologically undone by the fact that Vettel has come along and stole the lime light. “Suddenly along comes this kid who snatches the booty from under Mark’s nose. Psychologically it’s not easy of course; this would gnaw away at anyone’s confidence”.

Marko is widely seen as the man behind Vettel’s success and he shares a special relationship with the German star that helped them during the difficult times last season. Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz is another who he shares a good relationship with and despite the boss only attending two F1 grands prix last season, he helped inspire the team to success.

“He is the greatest when it comes to motivation, he knows exactly what to do. If things are not going well for us he inspires us. Instead of venting he says “Don’t Worry!” not “You must…” He’d rather say something uplifting and encouraging”.

Vettel and Red Bull will be looking to continue their enviable success when the season starts in a couple of months in Australia.

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