Webber out to show F1 lead is no fluke

Mark Webber is determined to show that his rise to the top of the Formula One standings is no fluke.

Webber became the first Australian to win back-to-back races in 20 years at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, leading Sebastian Vettel in a 1-2 Red Bull finish at the famous street circuit a week after he captured the Spanish GP.

Vettel and Webber both have 78 points atop the overall drivers' standings, but Webber has the tiebreaker with more race victories.

Now, the 33-year-old driver in his ninth F1 season wants to prove his recent run is for real.

``You can talk as much as you want, but actions speak louder than words,'' Webber said after winning in Monaco. ``The fire is still burning pretty solidly inside. I don't think I'm losing too much by being a bit older. Of course, I have some wisdom and it's not holding me back too much. So I'll keep going.

``You have to enjoy your victories. At the end of the day, we've got some bigger goals to achieve this year. But this is a very, very unique day for the team. Absolutely incredible and for sure the greatest day of my life today.''

Looking for inspiration to become the first Australian world champion since Alan Jones in 1980, Webber referred to Jenson Button's run last year. The Briton came out of nowhere with surprise team Brawn GP to win the championship despite a career that seemingly was on the wane.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who finished sixth in Monaco and sits three points behind Webber and Vettel in the standings, praised the Austrian team's cars and its drivers.

``It's no surprise - the Red Bull car is so good that sometimes Webber wins, sometimes Vettel,'' Alonso said. ``People talk about Vettel a lot more, but Webber also has enormous talent.''

The 23-year-old Vettel's driving skills are so highly rated he has been nicknamed ``Baby Schumi'' in homage to German countryman Michael Schumacher, the record seven-time F1 champion. But Webber has been faster than Vettel in the past two races.

Webber's career began promisingly when he finished in the points at the 2002 Australian GP in his debut for Minardi. But that encouraging start tailed off as he drove disappointing Jaguar and BMW Williams cars, leading him to Red Bull three years ago.

After seven retirements and only 10 points in his first season, he captured 21 points in 2008. Red Bull became Brawn GP's main challenger last season, with Webber finishing fourth in the title race.

``We are not here because we have been slacking. The effort has gone in from 2 1/2 years ago,'' Webber said. ``This is not just the sake of the last two weeks' work.''

Webber became the first Australian since Jack Brabham in 1959 to win at the Mediterranean principality. Seven days earlier, he also won from the pole in Barcelona.

``I think Mark Webber's had the week of his life,'' team principal Christian Horner said.

Red Bull's opponents are hoping to get closer to Webber and Vettel, starting with the Turkish GP on May 30.

``We have to wait and see what developments we get coming through,'' McLaren's Lewis Hamilton said. ``We won't have closed the gap, but I hope we can get closer. It's going to take a good couple of races to close the gap on the Red Bulls.''