With just 3 or 4 races to go in 2010, there are no more signs that Red Bull is set to throw its full weight behind championship leader Mark Webber’s title tilt.

The Australian would openly accept number 1 status over Sebastian Vettel, and recently consultant Helmut Marko indicated the team would soon consider the possibility.

But Vettel, who remains 21 points behind Webber, put his campaign back on track with a strong weekend in Singapore, and afterwards announced his intention to push on.

“The drivers championship is still open,” said the 23-year-old German in Singapore.

According to the German newspaper Die Welt, he announced that he and Webber have agreed to a “professional approach” to the next decisive races.

And “We will find out who is better,” Vettel is quoted as saying.

It means that of the three top teams in with a chance of the 2010 title, only Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso can currently count on the backing of his teammate.

“It is almost inevitable with the way the season has swung backwards and forwards that this will go right down to the wire,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

Alan Jones, the last Australian to become world champion in 1980, backed his countryman to beat Vettel in a dog-fight.

“I think if it gets down to a bit of a head-game, I’ll back Mark every time,” said the former Williams driver.

“It’s a fascinating championship,” added 63-year-old Jones.  “We haven’t had one like this for years, where five people could become world champion with four races to go.”

Two of F1′s leading team bosses have admitted they, like F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, have concerns about the forthcoming Korean grand prix.
On paper, there are four races left to run on the 2010 calendar, but real concerns that the new Yeongam circuit will not be ready to host its inaugural race on October 24.

The FIA rules require new tracks to pass a final inspection three months before their first race. But the governing body and Ecclestone have allowed Korea to delay its inspection until October 11 — when air fares and hotels will be booked, and much of F1′s freight en route to the east Asian nation.

Another crucial consideration is that whether there are 3 or 4 races left to run has an impact on how the teams – particularly those battling for the title – will approach the rest of the season.

McLaren, for instance, is hoping Korea stays on the calendar, given the points deficits of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

“We would like four races but from what we hear there are a lot of concerns,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

“Bernie and the Koreans will work on that, and we will concentrate on going to the next race in Suzuka and maximising the points.”

Red Bull, meanwhile, has a better insight than most about Korea, after Karun Chandhok recently completed a demonstration of the track at the wheel of an old F1 car.

“We were there a few weeks ago and they were well on course with it, so we’re pretty confident,” said Christian Horner.

“At the moment all the flights are still booked.”

With Mark Webber leading the championship and his teammate Sebastian Vettel further behind, team boss Horner admitted his drivers have different opinions about the fate of the Korean round.

“Mark would say no (to Korea) and Sebastian would say yes, and obviously from a team point of view it (cancellation) wouldn’t be a bad thing either,” he said.

“But I think we’ll definitely be in Korea.

“I had a chat with (Ecclestone) earlier — he now seems pretty confident,” added Horner.