Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull teammate Mark Webber cleared the air after Sunday’s season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, the German said on Tuesday.
Vettel, who won the finale to finish above Australian teammate Webber and Spain’s Fernando Alonso, said the rivalry in the team had made both drivers perform better during the season and that speculation about their differences had been exaggerated.
“Obviously there were times when we had different opinions, but I think that’s normal. When you’re running at the same level you’re going to get in each other’s way and you’re going to try to get whatever advantage you can,” Vettel told a televised news conference in Salzburg.
“That’s all fine and that’s how you push each other on. It wasn’t always easy. I think the talk we had after the race and after the season was good for both of us,” he added.
The rivalry between Vettel and Webber flared at times during the season, with the Australian triggering a favoritism furry in July when he won the British Grand Prix.
He said over the team radio “not bad for a No. 2” after Red Bull had taken a new-specification front wing off his car for qualifying and handed it to Vettel.
The two Red Bull drivers also collided while running one-two in Turkey in May.
“I think we were able to put it all into words quite well,” Vettel said of his post-season meeting with Webber.
“It would be wrong to say ‘What happened during the season was all rubbish and now everything is rosy.’ Obviously there were moments, but it never went as far as the people on the outside expected,” Vettel added.
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