By PAUL LOGOTHETISAP Auto Racing Writer
Mark Webber will go for a third straight Formula One victory at Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, where Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel and the Ferrari cars look to be the overall leader's likely challengers.
Webber won from the pole in Barcelona and Monaco to lead Vettel on wins, with the Red Bull teammates tied with 78 points after six races.
“It's important to stay focused and get back to business,'' Webber said. “There's a lot more to do and we need to keep going.''
No Australian has been champion since Alan Jones in 1980, but Webber's performance in the past two races has him looking like one of the main contenders alongside Vettel, McLaren pair Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, and Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso.
“Two races ago everyone was saying someone else. In two races' time they might be saying someone else again,'' Webber said from Monte Carlo. ``There is no one who knows who is going to be in the hunt with a few races to go.
“There's lots of things to roll into this situation yet. It's a good position to be in. We have a good tally at the moment, but I don't think it's between two guys, too early.''
Vettel couldn't match Webber's pace in Monaco due to a damaged chassis, which has been changed for Istanbul.
Ferrari travels to the “Otodrom'' ready to race for the 800th time in F1.
“That will be a further motivating factor to get a good result and try and make it to the podium, hopefully ahead of the Red Bulls,'' said Alonso, who has 75 points. “I leave for Turkey in a confident and optimistic mood. I have no reason not to be confident.''
The two-time champion from Spain worked through the field from last to finish sixth at Monaco, and Ferrari can feel confident of a good result as teammate Felipe Massa is a three-time winner at the Istanbul Park circuit. Massa is fifth in the championship with 61 points.
Defending F1 champion Button, who has 70 points, is keen to rebound from two straight disappointing performances at Monaco he was out early after a mechanic's error caused his radiator to overheat just after the start.
“At a place like Istanbul Park, our car will be back in its element,'' said teammate Hamilton, who is tied with Robert Kubica on 59 points. “It loves smooth, fast circuits, where the aerodynamics can really work over the car through the long, fast corners. It should feel fantastic to drive.''
Kubica also expected his Renault's upgrades to help maintain the French team's surprise start, with the Polish driver coming off a third-place finish at the iconic street circuit race.
“It's important that this result doesn't make us overoptimistic because I think it will be difficult to repeat that pace this weekend,'' Kubica said.
Perhaps Michael Schumacher's return to racing will bring spectators to the track on the Asian side of the Bosphorus River that is traditionally one of circuit's least attended races. Schumacher is hoping Sunday's 58-lap race will help ease the disappointment of Monaco, where the seven-time F1 champion dropped out of the points for an illegal pass of Alonso at the last corner.
Teammate Nico Rosberg, who has 56 points, is also looking to bounce back from poor results as the German team returns to its longer wheelbase car.
“It's a long road ahead to achieve the level of competitiveness that we are aiming for, but each race is a step along the way and I am confident that we will get there,'' team principal Ross Brawn said.
Red Bull will look to make it seven out of seven races started from pole position in Saturday's qualifying. But Webber is trying not to look beyond Friday's practices for now.
“Let's go to Turkey, do that and just keep chipping away,'' Webber said. “Things can change very quickly in this game. I've been round the block long enough to know that as well, so feet on the ground.''
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