According to team advisor Helmut Marko, "harmony" is not the word to describe the relationship of Red Bull's two drivers."No. Rather, I would call it healthy competition," the Austrian, team owner Dietrich Mateschitz's right-hand man in racing matters, told sportnet.at.
Before the 2009 season began, Marko admitted that Australian Webber's average lap time deficit to 21-year-old Vettel, at half a second, was "too much".
Now the gap is smaller, he agrees.
"In the beginning Mark resisted using Vettel's setup. He would not accept it. Now he uses it because it is just faster," Marko said.
Not only is Webber eleven years older than Red Bull's new arrival, Vettel has contested 97 fewer races but already won twice.
The 32-year-old Webber, who broke his leg and shoulder in the winter season, qualified behind Vettel in Shanghai and then finished second to him in the race.
"I have been incredibly determined to get in the best condition I can and the best shape possible to overcome the injuries that I have had to give this youngster (Vettel) a hard time and so far it is working and we are pushing each other hard," he said.
Team owner Mateschitz told Austria's Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper: "Mark has proved that he is one of F1's best drivers. The combination of our pair is ideal."
"What we wanted is two drivers who are on the limit and can push each other, and that is so," the Austrian billionaire said.
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