Vettel could be ‘trouble’ for Webber

Will Sebastian Vettel bury Mark Webber?

Red Bull

(GMM) Sebastian Vettel could be set to give his experienced teammate more than a run for his money at Red Bull next year, David Coulthard has predicted.

Coulthard, who is Australian driver Mark Webber's current teammate and a veteran of approaching 250 grands prix, will be replaced by 21-year-old Vettel for the 2009 season.

"I'm going to be as interested as everyone else to see the intra-team competition between Mark and Sebastian Vettel," the 37-year-old Scot wrote in his latest ITV column.

Vettel has been hailed as a rising superstar of the sport, and Coulthard praised his lights-to-flag debut victory from pole position at Monza recently as "absolutely textbook perfect".

He said: "I've already been joking with Mark that I wouldn't like to be in his position, that this guy looks like being trouble for him.

"He's clearly got a lot of talent and car control but Mark will have the benefit of experience, both of F1 and of the Red Bull team. I've no idea which way it will end up going," Coulthard said.

31-year-old Webber, who made his F1 debut with Minardi in 2002 and has also raced for Jaguar and Williams, is aware that his next teammate is an extremely capable prospect.

"Sebastian's had an amazing year," the Australian recently told the Melbourne newspaper The Age.

"Obviously he's finishing off very strongly. He had a tough start and it's a real credit to Red Bull that they've nurtured a talent like that.

"The Germans obviously produce good drivers and he's another youngster coming through," Webber said.