Red Bull says Webber not planning to leave

MARK  Webber will not walk away from Red Bull despite his controversial clash with teammate Sebastian Vettel.

MARK Webber will not walk away from Red Bull despite his controversial clash with teammate Sebastian Vettel at the Malaysian Grand Prix, according to team principal Christian Horner.

Defending champion Vettel deliberately disobeyed team orders by overtaking Webber in the closing stages of last Sunday's race, before driving to victory and leaving the Australian fuming.

Webber, 36, admitted that he had thought about "many things" over the race's closing stages, but Horner has dismissed speculation he might be tempted to leave the team.

"It was the intent of the team that Mark win that race," Horner said. "We didn't suddenly give Sebastian instruction and say, 'Go and pass your teammate'.

"He (Webber) is big enough to know there was no malice or intent from the team to create any situation like that.

"He is in a car capable of winning grands prix, and hopefully going for a championship, so I've no doubt Mark will see out the season with us."

Horner's claims came as F1 legend Jackie Stewart said Vettel's action had cast a cloud over his career.

"I think it blemished his reputation," three-time F1 champion Stewart said.

"There will be an awareness from now on he may not be as stable as we originally thought."

Horner also revealed that Vettel visited the Red Bull factory in central England this week to apologise for his conduct.

"He's accepted what he did was wrong, but that he can't turn back the clock," Horner told Sky Sports News.

"He has apologised to the team, apologised to every single member of staff for his actions."

Meanwhile, Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko claims Vettel and Webber have made peace. "There was a debrief afterwards with the relevant discussions about the race and then there was a handshake between the two drivers.

"For us now the issue is settled," Marko said.

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