Cool Webber eyes fast start in Korea

After taking over the lead of the world championship following the Italian Grand Prix in September, Mark Webber has adopted a cool approach as he attempts to become the first Australian to win the Formula One title in 30 years.

On Sunday at the inaugural Korean Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver's composure will be tested in a race where he has plenty to lose on the opening lap.

For the second race in a row, Webber was beaten to pole by German teammate Sebastian Vettel by the slimmest of margins.

Top spot

At Suzuka in Japan a fortnight ago, Vettel edged the 34-year-old Australian by 0.068 seconds for top spot on the grid, which proved decisive as Vettel led from start to finish for an untroubled victory.

On Saturday, Vettel again pipped his teammate for pole - and with it, the ideal position for the all-important run into the first corner at the new Yeongam circuit, where track conditions off the racing line have been treacherous all weekend.

Renault's Robert Kubica said after qualifying that there was a "huge difference" between the two sides of the grid, but steady rain throughout Saturday night would have washed away much of the rubber that had been laid down on the racing line of the new track over the last two days. It's little wonder the ever-pragmatic Webber was unconcerned about starting from second spot.

"It's not a bad position to start the race," he said.

Good result

"It would have been nice to get pole, but still, we can get a good result from there. (Ferrari's) Fernando (Alonso) will be solid off the line from third, but that's not going to make or break the championship.

"The first lap will be crucial, but the last lap will be the one to decide how many points you score."

Webber's ability to keep finishing races in the top three is the key to his quest for the title.

But teammate Vettel has finished ahead of Webber in each of the last three races, reducing his deficit to the Australian from 24 to 14 points in that time.

The championship is gearing up for a grandstand finish, with up to five drivers in contention for the title with three races remaining. "I need to finish all of them," Webber said.

"A victory and two DNFs (non-finishes) are not going to win me anything. The rest will take care of itself. If we do our best, then everything should be in a good position after this race.

"Is a driver going to win three races in a row? It's a tall order. If someone wins three on the bounce, maybe they deserve it (the championship)."

Ninth pole

With his ninth pole of the season and the 14th of his young career, Vettel is looming larger in Webber's mirrors.

The German has won three races this season, one fewer than his teammate, but has managed just two victories from his nine pole positions. All four of Webber's wins have come from the front row of the grid, and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says that the intra-team rivalry between the pair is too close to call.

"In Japan, they were separated by seven hundredths of a second in qualifying, and then there was nothing to choose between them in the race," Horner said.

"Mark is in a great place at the moment. His confidence is high, and Sebastian likewise. We have two drivers in excellent form. My objective is to keep them in that form until the end of the season."

YEONGAM, South Korea, Sunday AFP