Webber to drive on, says dad

MARK Webber will drive in next month's Chinese Grand Prix despite a strained relationship with Sebastian Vettel.

Mark Webber is not considering his future in Formula One and will drive in next month's Chinese Grand Prix despite a strained relationship with Sebastian Vettel, his father said yesterday.

Webber, 36, was incensed when his Red Bull teammate defied orders and overtook him to snatch victory in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

He returned to Australia and was reported to be contemplating missing the April 14 Chinese Grand Prix, but his father, Alan, said his son would be on the Shanghai starting grid.

"We'll be up in China for the next one," Alan Webber told the ABC.

After the race Vettel said "I'm not proud I did it" and Webber's father said he believed the triple world champion was sincere, but the damage to the already fractured relationship had been done.

"I think it will take a while to earn the respect and trust again," he said. Alan Webber said Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz had confirmed his son's position on the team was "assured".

Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone warned the incident could come back to haunt Red Bull.

"Let's assume that these two guys are in a position to win the championship at the end of the year, then there is no way that Mark is going to help Sebastian," Ecclestone told Britain's Daily Telegraph.

"So Sebastian has to think about that. Maybe there will be a stage when he would like Mark to help him, but I don't think Mark is going to come up front and do it."

Webber has openly questioned the support he gets from the team hierarchy, compared with the German.

Vettel leads the drivers championship on 40 points, with Webber third on 26.

AFP