Been there done that: Vettel vs Webber

Mar.8 (YF1) Of the top four teams Red Bull Racing goes into the 2010 season with the most “stable” driver pairing. Unlike the drivers in their three main rival teams Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber go into their second year as partners and on familiar ground.

They start on an even keel, although Vettel did get the better of the Aussie for most of 2009 and challenged Jenson Button all the way until Brazil when the Englishman clinched the title.

Credit to Red Bull they were always adamant that there were no team orders. This gave their drivers free reign to compete, the same should be true for 2010. Thus it will be up to the individual drivers to assert themselves early on and get the tam to focus on their particular efforts.

The last Grand Prix of 2010 was a Red Bull rampage with Vettel taking the win at the awesome Yas Marina venue and Webber in second place. The result pretty much summed up their season and championship challenge: so near yet so far.

This year the Adrian Newey penned RB6 should challenge from the word go, unlike last year when the legality of the double diffuser sent the team back to the drawing board and forcing them to play catch up for the first half of the season.

On paper, both Vettel and Webber are contenders for the title before a wheel is turned in anger. Who of the two will capitalise early on will gain the strategic high ground within the team.

As expected Webber is playing his cards close to his chest: “Don’t expect me to say I’ll win the title this year, that would be suicidal,” he said to Gazzetta dello Sport. “I aim to win more grands prix than I did last year. Let’s say we have a great opportunity to do something special.”

Also cautious is Vettel who believes Ferrari is “very strong” and at the head of the field in the run to Bahrain: “Behind them (Ferrari) it is between us, McLaren and Mercedes. I don’t see us at the front yet.”

No pre- season earth shattering quotes from the Red Bull duo. What is clear though is that before they beat their F1 rivals they will have their hands full asserting “top bull” status within their own team.

Prediction: Vettel to be strong again challenging for the title until the bitter end with Webber showing occasional flashes – pretty much like last year in the Red Bull pen.

• Schumacher vs Rosberg
• Alonso vs Massa
• Button vs Hamilton