F1: Red Bull Ready To Extend Webber Deal

Formula 1

F1: Red Bull Ready To Extend Webber Deal

Red Bull driver is in contract year...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted July 09, 2012 London (GBR)

Mark Webber of Australia and Red Bull Racing celebrates with Team Principal Christian Horner after winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit on July 8, 2012 in Northampton, England. (Photo: Getty Images)

Christian Horner has emphasized that Red Bull is ready to finalize a contract extension for Mark Webber, despite ongoing suggestions that the Aussie is hoping to end his career with a spell at Ferrari.

Webber has been on a series of one-year deals in recent times, but any suggestions that he might retire have been dispelled by his current strong form.

“Very simply we have a great relationship with Mark,” said Horner. “I think Mark wants to be in the team next year, and therefore as we’ve always stated during the summer we’ll sit down and talk about his future. That period of time is obviously coming a bit closer, over the next few weeks we’ll be talking about 2013.

“As always with Mark things are pretty straightforward. He’s been with the team for seven seasons, he’s had all his success in F1 with this team, and we’d like to see that continue.”

Horner doesn’t expect the mooted Ferrari move to happen.

“Inevitably there’s an awful lot of speculation surrounding Ferrari. We can only focus on ourselves, we can’t control what other people say or do. I think Mark feels comfortable in the team, and over the next few weeks we’ll sit down and talk about his future.

“Mark’s given me every indication that he’s happy here. You can see that in his driving. I think he’s driving very well this year. He’s wintered well and he’s driving very well. He’s won two big races now, the Monaco GP and the British GP, and I think his drive today was excellent, it was inch perfect.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.