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Webber Defends Against Red Bull Critics, Blames Vettel

With the entire Red Bull team blaming him for the incident with teammate Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber insisted that what happened on Lap 41 of the Turkish Grand Prix was not his fault. Although Vettel was obviously benefiting from top speed in straight line – which Webber admitted – the Aussie said it was his much younger teammate that suddenly turned right into his car when approaching Turn 12.

Both drivers went side by side on the straight leading to Turn 12, when Vettel's attempt to break for the following corner made him touch Webber. On the footage provided by the F1 broadcasters, one can clearly see that Vettel's car makes a sudden right turn, before preparing for the Turn 12 entry.

Seb had good a top speed advantage and he went down the inside. We were side by side and then looks like he turned pretty quickly to the right and we made contact,” said Webber after the race.

"Neither want to make contact but it can happen sometimes when both are in front. It is never ideal but it happened," added the Aussie.

The images from the drivers' room after the race also showed Lewis Hamilton asking Webber briefly what happened in Lap 41, and the Australian driver telling him the same thing, that Vettel turned right on him. Although the team's view is that the 33-year old did not give his teammate the necessary space for the overtaking maneuver – which, by the way, looks like a team order – most F1 pundits begged to differ.

According to BBC commentator and former F1 driver Martin Brundle, Vettel was the one that was “unquestionably” at fault, while McLaren Mercedes' team principal Martin Whitmarsh suggested “he is not sure he would have "cuddled" Vettel when the 22-year-old eventually walked to the pitwall,” as reported by the GMM news agency.

See the F1 drivers' view on the incident here.
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