F1's bad payers exposed

According to the Mail on Sunday, an self-governing study conducted by business information company Dun & Bradstreet reveals that only two teams pay earlier than the due date.

Red Bull Racing and sister team Toro Rosso, both bankrolled by Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, are the only clothes that pay their creditors - which comprise caterers, designers, equipment suppliers and haulage firms - on time. However, that is mainly down to Mateschitz's decision to boost the teams' budget.

'The data, which contrast the rate of payment between December 2009 to April 2010 and between April to November last year, reveal that even though the economy has begun to pick up, the creditworthiness of F1 teams has not,' the statement claims.

Despite having some of the biggest budgets in the sport, heavyweights Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are typically late by between 11 and 17 days. The trio were upstaged by rookies Virgin - backed by Sir Richard Branson - who on standard settled their accounts eight days after the due date.

Force India are by far the worst of the recognized outfits as they usually take about a month to pay their bills despite being owned by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya.

The report adds: 'One supplier, who did not wish to be named, said his company has had to pay its own staff late as a result. 'If Vijay sold his yacht, it would keep the team going for a couple of years,' he said.'

The Northamptonshire-based team though don't get the award for worst overall offender. That honour goes to rookies Lotus who typically pay 180 days late. 

Trophy time for Vettel and Red Bull

Monaco was the venue for this year’s FIA Prize charitable Gala on Friday, where FIA President Jean Todt obtainable Sebastian Vettel, the youngest-ever Formula One world champion with the driver’s trophy.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner composed the constructor’s trophy from Formula One Management (FOM) CEO Bernie Ecclestone, while Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and Mark Webber of Red Bull picked up awards for second and third place in this year’s championship.

“This is an astonishing evening for me and for the Red Bull Racing team,” said Vettel. “I'm delighted to be here to collect the driver's championship trophy, something I have dreamt of since I started racing. charming the championship is unbelievable; it marks an incredible season for us, with many ups and downs. We kept believe in our team, in our team, in our car and enjoyed every race.

“I would actually like to thank all the Red Bull Racing team and Renault Engines for their efforts and devotion in ensuring we had such an amazing car this year. I am tremendously proud of the success we have achieved together."

It was a unforgettable season for the Red Bull team, taking a total of 15 pole positions throughout the championship. This season also saw the team achieve six of the best ever laps with Vettel and Webber each scoring three respectively.

“This has been a tough but hard to believe year for Red Bull Racing. Being presented with the constructors’ championship trophy is the perfect end to what has been an outstanding season for us,” said Horner. “I would like to thank Sebastian and Mark for their hard work and commitment this year. Seb is the youngest ever Formula One world champion and a very deserving one at that. His success is down to what he has done on the circuit and the team is hugely proud of what he has achieved.

Webber ended season with fractured shoulder

Red Bull’s Mark Webber drove the last four rounds of the 2010 season with a fractured shoulder, the Australian driver has revealed. Webber sustained the injury in a cycling accident prior to the October’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Webber chose not to divulge what had happened to the Red Bull team bosses and details have only just emerged in a new book published in the Australia. It was the first time he had been back on a mountain bike since breaking his leg in late 2008.

"I was riding with a great friend of mine,” explained Webber in ‘Mark Webber, Up Front’. “Suddenly, he crashed right in front of me and I had nowhere to go but straight through the ears of the horse! I suffered what they call a skier's fracture to my right shoulder.”

With the fracture too fine to be treated, Webber, who was leading the championship at the time, received pre-race injections to cope with the pain. Only his physio Roger Cleary and FIA medic Gary Harstein are believed to have known about the injury.

Webber narrowly lost the Japanese race to team mate Sebastian Vettel, after which his championship challenge faded, and many will now question whether the fracture effectively cost him the title, even if Webber himself disagrees.

He broke his right leg in November 2008 after being hit by a car while cycling in training for his Tasmania charity challenge. What wasn’t known by his team or the public at the time was that Webber also broke his shoulder in that incident.

Webber: I need another win for the title

Championship leader Mark Webber says he must take with another race victory this season as he looks to secure his first Formula One drivers’ title. Webber extended his standings lead in Suzuka on Sunday, but has not won a Grand Prix since Hungary back in August.

“I need to win again in the future,” said Webber after his second-place finish behind Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel in Japan. “I’m very confident I can do that, and that would be beneficial, of course, but also reliability can still yet play a role, many things, circumstances, lots of different things.”

Webber has benefitted from the intense competition in recent races between Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren. His consistency - podiums at four of the last five rounds - combined with Lewis Hamilton’s misfortunes, Fernando Alonso’s renaissance and Vettel’s Suzuka win have seen the Australian’s points advantage grow from just five after Monza to 11 after Singapore and 14 after Japan.

“Two weeks ago (my main rival) was Lewis, then it was Fernando - it’s chopping and changing, but the most important thing is that the gap is going the right way,” continued Webber. “I need to keep it like that. We’ve got three races to go and it’s a good result for me.”

Nevertheless, with 75 points still up for grabs from the remaining races in Korea, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, and with five drivers still in contention for the title, Webber knows he can take nothing for granted.

“As we’ve seen this year, five of us are capable of winning races,” he added. “Well, four in the dry - Jenson’s (Button) had a few races in the wet conditions - but in the dry conditions it’s been four of us who can win.”