Mark Webber says he will not sacrifice a victory in this weekend's Indian Grand Prix to assist Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel's quest to retain the World Championship title.
Asked if he would move over for Vettel, Webber indicated that while his own title chances are now slim, he's not prepared to give up on them yet. The Australian lies fifth in the standings, 63 points behind his Red Bull teammate Vettel with 100 points up for grabs from the remaining four races.
"This weekend if I have the chance to win the grand prix, I'll go for it," he said in India on Thursday. "Mathematically I have a chance [to be champion]. If I'm in the lead, I'm not pulling over for anyone."
Webber acknowledged that his own title ambitions will have to be assisted by poor fortune for Vettel and Fernando Alonso if he is to catch them, however – just as he himself suffered at the hands of Romain Grosjean at Suzuka. The Lotus driver made contact with Webber on the first lap and the Red Bull man subsequently could finish no higher than ninth.
"It's going to take a lot of smelly races for Seb and Fernando but yeah obviously Suzuka hurt, that was a big chunk of points we missed there. It would have been nice to have those points now," he said. "But we don't, they're gone, so there is obviously a bigger margin than was already there.
"Winning some races has certainly got to be useful but if those guys are finishing as they normally do then it is going to be difficult to get those points now. And given how the points are spread now, most people are getting reasonable points unless you stop in the races. Very difficult, but you know, never say never."
Webber believes that the characteristics of the Indian GP venue, which was used for the first time last year, will suit the Red Bull RB8.
"I think we should be OK here," he added. "We are not coming here thinking well it's like Monza. We should be pretty good. We have got to use top gear to get on pole so...
"How much company we will have? How tight it will be? Ferrari and McLaren are always there or thereabouts, particularly the Ferrari on Sunday. McLaren are strong on Saturdays, but at Suzuka weren't so strong in the race, so I don't know."