Webber keen to prove he’s No.1

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Mark Webber is determined to show that his position as No. 1 in the Formula One standings after winning the Monaco Grand Prix is no fluke.
Webber led Sebastian Vettel in a Red Bull 1-2 finish at the famous street race on Sunday, becoming the first Australian to win back-to-back races in 20 years after having captured the Spanish GP on May 9.

Vettel and Webber have 78 points to lead the overall Drivers’ Championship, but Webber is top because he has won more races.
Now, the 33-year-old Webber wants to prove his recent run is for real in his ninth season in F1. “You can talk as much as you want but actions speak louder than words,” Webber said.
“The fire is still burning pretty solidly inside. I don’t think I’m losing too much by being a bit older. Of course, I have some wisdom and it’s not holding me back too much. So I’ll keep going.
“You have to enjoy your victories. At the end of the day, we’ve got some bigger goals to achieve this year. But this is a very, very unique day for the team. Absolutely incredible and for sure the greatest day of my life today.”
Looking for inspiration to become the first Australian World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980, Webber referrred to Jenson Button’s run last year. The Briton came out of nowhere with surprise team Brawn GP to win the championship despite his career being seemingly on the wane.
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso, who finished sixth on Sunday after starting in last place to sit three points behind Webber and Vettel, praised the speed of the Austrian team’s cars. “It’s no surprise — the Red Bull car is so good that sometimes Webber wins, sometimes Vettel,” Alonso said.
“People talk about Vettel a lot more, but Webber also has enormous talent.”
The 23-year-old Vettel’s driving skills are so highly rated he has been nicknamed “Baby Schumi” in homage to German countryman Michael Schumacher, the record seven-time F1 champion.
But Webber has been faster in the past two races. Webber’s career began promisingly by finishing in the points at the 2002 Australian GP on his debut for Minardi. But that encouraging start tailed off as he drove disappointing Jaguar and BMW Williams cars, leading him to Red Bull three years ago.
Seven retirements and only 10 points in his first season rose to 21 points in 2008. Red Bull became Brawn GP’s main challenger last season, with Webber finishing fourth in the title race. “We are not here because we have been slacking. The effort has gone in from 2 years ago,” Webber said.
“This is not just the sake of the last two weeks’ work.”
Webber became the first Australian since Jack Brabham in 1959 to win at the Mediterranean principality. Seven days earlier, he also won from pole position in Barcelona.
“I think Mark Webber’s had the week of his life,” team principal Christian Horner said. Red Bull’s opponents are hoping to get closer to Webber and Vettel, starting with the Turkish GP on May 30.
“We have to wait and see what developments we get coming through,” McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton said.
“We won’t have closed the gap but I hope we can get closer. It’s going to take a good couple of races to close the gap on the Red Bulls.” — AP