Webber: Almost sewn up for Button

Mark Webber feels Jenson Button is in a position where he could now cruise home to the Formula One world title.

In taking the chequered flag in Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix for his sixth win in seven races this season, Button built a commanding 26-point lead over Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

Other than the veteran Brazilian, Red Bull’s Webber and Sebastian Vettel are the 29-year-old’s closest challengers, albeit 33.5 and 32 points adrift respectively.

The duo were second and third in Istanbul, finishing around seven seconds adrift, but as the Australian rightly recognised, Button was “on another level”.

The likes of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Renault’s Fernando Alonso have already made it clear the Briton is unlikely to be caught.

Webber also appreciates Button is “in an incredible position”.

He added: “To have a 26-point lead is an amazing position to be in.

“But the way the points-scoring system is at the moment, for him to chip away is not that easy if his main competitors are consistent.

“Two DNFs (did not finish) obviously changes things, but there’s no question about it, he’s in fantastic shape going forward with seven races down and 10 to go.

“Even if he’s cruising and picks up a lot of results, rather than being on the top step, it’s going to be a long time for people to get that back.

“Finishes are crucial for him, and he’s been around long enough to know that.”

Webber is refusing to rule himself out of the equation after his second runner-up finish of the year, and with arguably the best car he has driven currently beneath him.

“We are in a position to challenge at most grands prix now, and that is very rewarding for the whole team,” added Webber.

“We expected to be a bit closer in Turkey, to be honest. But there was no way anyone was going to beat Jenson.

“It’s not that we’re going to change our mentality going forward.

“We’re doing everything we can to make the car as fast as possible for every venue we go to, and that’s starting with the next grand prix in the UK.

“We need to keep going on the path we are, but we need to bite into the back of their (Brawn GP) development if we can somehow.

“We obviously need to do it soon because the more races we do, less follow.

“Everyone is working incredibly hard, but the guy leading the championship keeps going away.

“It wasn’t bad for the constructors’ (championship) for us, but in the drivers’, Jenson has gone away a bit more.”