Nigel Mansell reckons the title is still Mark Webber’s to lose, despite the Australian slipping into second, 11 points behind Fernando Alonso with just two rounds remaining.
The 1992 world champion is confident Webber will take the title after overcoming some difficulties during the past two season, most prominently the inter-team rivalry at Red Bull.
“I still think the title’s there for Mark Webber to lose and I don’t think he will,” Mansell told The Sun newspaper.
“There has been stuff going on within the team all year but he has demonstrated he is strong of character and strong of mind.
“Mark is a class act as he showed when he came back from that accident in Valencia. In years gone by anyone thrown through the air like that would have been hospitalised or dead.
“Then you think of the accident he had on a mountain bike, hitting the car head on and breaking his leg and yet he came back from that, too.”
The veteran of just under 190 race starts believes Ferrari have lost focus ever since Hockenheim, when they ordered Felipe Massa to allow Alonso through to take victory.
“Mark is not taking any risks. I have to commend him because he’s been so professional by finishing and taking the points. Alonso is a brilliant driver but for me Ferrari lost focus by publicly demonstrating that their drivers basically don’t get on.”
However, to most, it would seem the team have been unaffected by the furore, with the Spaniard taking victory in three of the previous four races.
