Webber's Dad 'Marks' Vettel's Card

The Formula One season is only a couple of weeks old and already there are more than enough talking points from events in Australia and, in particular, Malaysia.

"Well, this is awkward."

Mark Webber (far left) was more raging bull than Red Bull having been overtaken by his teammate Sebastian Vettel, who snatched the win in the closing stages of the Sepang Grand Prix, contrary to team orders.

Whether team orders should be allowed or not, seems to be at the crux of this matter. With their omission, it is likely that Webber would have driven flat-out and not been gazumped by a German upstart.

The man who holds all the aces in this sport, Bernie Ecclestone, has said that there “was not enough at stake (this early in the season) to justify team orders.” Why justify team orders at all if they lead to mixed messages and the petering out of the last 20 laps?

Nonetheless, this is not to condone the actions of Vettel who risked a guaranteed 43 points for the team and, lest we forget, life and limb as he passed his counterpart at high speed within inches of the pit wall.

Or can we condone it? 

Vettel didn’t play to team orders, which means excitement. He broke codes and rules, which means drama. He stole the points from Webber’s grasp which is racing.

People have called the 25 year old German irresponsible and stupid. Perhaps. But he is a winner and there’s no denying that. There is no need to even utter the name of another German driver who was as infamous for his track tricks as he was famous for the amount of Championships he won.

Red Bull are the best team in the competition and Vettel is, evidently, the best driver.

It’s a fact that the experienced yet naive Webber is finding surprisingly hard to come to terms with.

Having given a number of sullen and cringeworthy interviews in the aftermath of the events, Webber’s father, Alan waded in to proceedings to heap more embarrassment on his son.

Webber senior told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “Up and down the pit-lane Mark has not lost any credibility at all.”

How can he when he complained whiningly to his team that Vettel had broken the rules, before letting his dad come in to the playground to fight his battles?