Patience a virtue for Webber

MARK Webber has urged patience after consecutive eighth-place finishes has him 40 points behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Mark Webber

MARK Webber has urged patience after consecutive eighth-place finishes has him 40 points behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in the Formula One world championship.

The Australian came home eighth in the Hungarian Grand Prix, matching his result in Germany the weekend before, as Alonso extended his championship lead by finishing fifth.

Although the Spaniard now holds a healthy advantage in the title race, Webber has nine more races to overhaul the two-time world champion.

"We left a bit on the table today," Webber said after Sunday's race, won from pole position by England's Lewis Hamilton of McLaren. "I'm lying second in the championship, which is OK, but Fernando is still putting some good finishes together and he's got a good little lead.

"We'll just continue to take each race as it comes and deal with the championship situation later on in the season."

Webber is just two points ahead of teammate and defending champion Sebastian Vettel after the German finished fourth in Budapest as his title challenge faltered going into the mid-season break.

After a thrilling win in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Webber has struggled to keep pace with his main title rivals in Hockenheim or Hungary. But he is confident the four-week break before the next race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium will help him and his Red Bull team rediscover his pace.

"The next three weeks are a chance for everyone in the team to recharge their batteries and spend some time with family and friends," he said. "We'll then head to the last nine races and get as many points as we can. "I love Spa-Francorchamps. It's one of my favourite tracks. I'd love to win there for the first time."

AAP