myurr wrote:White Blue, you still believe this is all just a PR spin story invented by Webber?
No, I have never said that. If you would read my posts with the intention of understanding them instead of a total pre occupation against me I would not have to explain it again.
Horner by his own admission screwed up twice in the wing story, first by not laying down a rule how a single component (performance relevant or not) would be handles in the team. It should have been item two or three on their agenda when they talked after Turkey. According to all sources including the drivers they never thought about making that rule before they lost one of the new spec wings in P3 at Silverstone. According to uncontroversial reports that decision was made twenty minutes before qualifying by Horner. It was setting a precedent because such a decision had not been required before. So it was indeed invented on the Silverstone Saturday. At least I take this as fact because I have not heared any of the participants contradict that statement by Horner.
Secondly Horner failed to communicate his decision in person to Webber but let Pilbeam break the news to him. This second mistake is plain dumb but again this story isn't challenged by anybody in the team or by any of the reporters who wrote about it. I believe that it has actually happened that way until I see contrary evidence by someone in the team.
Under the assumption that these are the facts I would accept Webber's immediate reaction after qualifying. His comment to the press "The team is happy" implying that he was unhappy would appear justified. Under normal conditions one would assume that Webber and Horner would have had a chat within three hours of qualifying and that the storm in the tea cup would have been over. That did not happen. And here we have himself confirming the above sequence of events.
Mark Webber, markwebber.com wrote:My disappointment on Saturday after qualifying spilled over into Sunday but it was simply due to the fact that I, along with every other driver on the grid, wanted the best possible chance of success.
Sebastian received the newer front wing for reasons which were not clearly explained to me until Saturday late afternoon. Obviously I can see why a team may at certain points have to favour a driver with more points in the championship, if there are only enough resources to fully support one of us.
We’ve already debriefed the race weekend at the factory and have cleared the air. It’s now understood that, should we face this unlikely dilemma again, preference will go to the championship points leader. Of course things get said in the heat of the moment which, with hindsight goggles on, probably shouldn’t have been said.
I'm now talking of the things "which, with hindsight goggles on, probably shouldn’t have been said." Here the element of spin mastering and psyop come into it. By 6 pm latest, Webber by his own admission had all the explanations. One would expect him to signal that to the press and limit the damage that the wing incident had done to the team and the reputation of his team mate. He did not do this. Webber kept fanning the media frency for the next 22 hours including his post race team radio and press comments.
The question has to be asked why he continued his crusade. I don't buy the "simple Aussie gets over excited" cover that he made up. His media communications after his talk with Horner on Saturday afternoon is what I would call spin mastering and psychological operation against the team and his team mate. I call it revenge on Horner and playing with Vettel's mind.
In Mateschitz's shoes I would not tolerate that one of my drivers highjacks the control over the team media communication. This warrants at least a stern warning that any future transgression or insubordination (such as publicly indicating he would not share a podium with Horner) will get him fired. In actual fact I would have terminated the contract after this season.
I hope I have made myself clear now.
