Mark Webber wins at the Nurburgring

Mark Webber of Red Bull won the German GP at the Nürburgring yesterday, becoming only the third Australian to record a Formula 1 race win. It was Webber's 130th F1 race, a record for any driver in the sport's history to notch up their debut win.

Webber started the race in pole position, and despite a drive-through penalty for swiping rival Rubens Barrichello he held on the win by more than nine seconds.

Sebastian Vettel, also of Red Bull, came second and Felipe Massa of Ferrari made up the podium positions. Championship leader Jensen Button of Brawn GP finished in fifth and saw his lead at the top of the table cut by Webber from 25 to 21 points with eight races to go.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Tom Cary, Daily Telegraph: "Rain had been forecast, and looked likely as low-lying cloud and light drizzle accompanied the early spectators to the track. Yet by the time, the cars had assembled on the grid the Nurburgring was bathed in sunshine and 18C heat. In theory, it was good news for Brawn, whose car has struggled in colder temperatures this season. It didn't prove to be so. Although Barrichello stormed into fortuitous early lead - despite the shunt from Webber's - both he and Button were on three-stop strategies to Red Bull's two. Webber could afford his drive-through penalty on lap 15 and still emerge in the lead, as Barrichello pitted for the first time on the same lap. Webber was further helped when Barrichello, upon emerging from that stop, got stuck behind the Ferrari of his compatriot Felipe Massa, losing up to two seconds per lap."

Alan Henry, the Guardian: "This was a result which heaps added pressure on Brawn, who had to concede a significant performance edge to Red Bull for the second successive race. Webber beat his young team-mate by 9.25seconds, despite having to serve a drive-through penalty after side-swiping his front-row rival Rubens Barrichello's Brawn as they accelerated away from the start. He then clipped Lewis Hamilton's fast-starting McLaren-Mercedes, slightly damaging the Red Bull's front wing while leaving the frustrated world champion to limp round to change a punctured tyre at the end of the opening lap."

Edward Gorman, the Times: "After the race the atmosphere in the garage was tense. There was no immediate sign of Button, and Ross Brawn, the team principal, unusually declined initial opportunities to discuss an afternoon that has convinced many that this title race could yet go all the way to the final contest of the season, at the new £150 million track in Abu Dhabi. Maybe this is not all bad, however. The last thing even Button’s most fervent supporters would wish for is that their man drives uncontested to an almost worthless title; he wants to fight for it and Brawn certainly have a battle on their hands now. That said, the 29-year-old from Frome, Somerset, retains a handsome 21-point lead over Vettel in the championship and weather conditions in Germany, where it was cool but stayed dry (much as it was at Silverstone three weeks ago), again did not favour the Brawn car." ·