Podium-boy Webber’s father in hospital

(GMM) After finishing third in Sunday's Spanish grand prix, Mark Webber sent a cheerio to his ill father.

Alan Webber, often a feature of the F1 paddocks and Red Bull garage, fell ill on the way to the Chinese grand prix last month, the Britain's Mirror newspaper reports.

The Australian is now in hospital, his 32-year-old son admitted in Barcelona.

"Dad's a bit iffy at the moment but we have our fingers crossed for him," Webber said.

Webber's third place in Spain moved him to fourth place in the drivers' championship, 7.5 points behind his teammate Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel spent almost his entire Barcelona race stuck behind Felipe Massa's KERS-equipped Ferrari, but team boss Christian Horner insists the Renault-powered RB5 again proved it is "quick enough to win races".