Sebastian Vettel is learning from his mistakes, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

The 23-year-old German’s title chances this year have been dented by a series of setbacks, including driver errors.

The latest was his crash into Jenson Button two weeks ago at Spa-Francorchamps, triggering a wave of criticism about his readiness to be world champion.

“He’s a great driver, but he’s young and not so experienced — he’s learning,” Horner is quoted by the German language Sportwoche.

“What he has to do now is remain calm and focused,” said the Briton, referring to Vettel’s highly competitive car, but 31 point deficit in the drivers’ standings.

Teammate Mark Webber is widely regarded as Red Bull’s less preferred driver, but he has won more grands prix than any other rival in 2010, and is mere points from heading the championship.

“Mark is in the form of his life,” acknowledged Horner.

But he insists that neither Vettel or Webber occupy the role of team number one.

“We definitely favour neither one of them, they both have the same opportunities,” said Horner.

“We try to operate as transparently as possible.”

Red Bull’s other problem is the awkward relationship between the drivers, not helped by perceptions that team consultant Helmut Marko and Webber do not get along.

Australian Webber is believed to be much closer to Horner as well as team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Horner commented that it is understandable that he is “not as close with some people in the organisation as he is with others”.

Webber does not hide the fact that Vettel is not his best friend.

“I concentrate on myself and do what I have to do,” he told Austrian television ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′.

“It’s been a positive season for me.  I cannot control Sebastian — he does what he does.  And obviously the team will make decisions in the future,” added Webber.

Red Bull might not test its new F-duct system on the long straights of Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next Friday.

The team took its initial version of the downforce-stalling concept off the RB6 after Friday practice in Turkey, after Sebastian Vettel reported that it had not functioned perfectly.

“We need to work on getting the right effect,” said the German.

It had been expected that the team would test the innovation again during Friday practice in Canada, where the straightline speed boost will be a big advantage on the fast layout.

But on Austrian television ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′ on Tuesday, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko indicated that the F-duct will not be used in Montreal next week.

“It did not work perfectly,” he confirmed on Tuesday, referring to the Istanbul Park test.

“Therefore, we are developing it further.  We will bring it again to Valencia,” he added.

(GMM)

After he collided with teammate Sebastian Vettel whilst the pair ran first and second in Turkey, team chiefs pointed the finger of blame at the Australian.

Championship leader Webber, 33, had been in the throes of a contract renewal, in the wake of his dominant wins from pole in Spain and Monaco.

Dr Helmut Marko had been the most strident in his criticism in the wake of the Istanbul crash, but he said on Tuesday that Webber is still set to stay alongside Vettel in 2011.

“I would say it is more or less a formality that the ongoing cooperation with Webber will be finalised in the next few days,” he said on Austrian television ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′.

But Red Bull advisor Marko clarified that it is only going to be a one-year deal.

“Webber is not a youngster,” he insisted.

(GMM)

May 4 (GMM)  Gerhard Berger has backed Michael Schumacher amid a climate of continuing criticism of the seven time world champion’s performance so far in 2010.

Four races into 41-year-old Schumacher’s F1 comeback at the wheel of a Mercedes, the critique of pundits has ranged from a verdict of disappointment to a harsh denigration of his skills after three years of retirement.

“I find all the talk about Michael a bit tedious, because it is always with a negative slant,” 10-time GP winner Berger, who raced in Schumacher’s era until retiring in 1997, said on Austrian TV ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′.

“Michael has come back and is doing what he wants.  I think you cannot change the status of someone who is a seven time world champion,” added the 50-year-old former Ferrari and McLaren driver.

Austrian Berger backs Schumacher to improve his pace in the forthcoming races.

“We know his ambition.  We know that if he does something, he does it right.  I think we must take him seriously again in the future,” he said.

After the initial three races of 2010, Berger admits that Schumacher’s performance in China was a setback.

“It was weak, but that can happen,” said the former teammate of the late F1 great Ayrton Senna.

“I think he has done an excellent job so far — except for the last race.  In the first three grands prix he was in the top six of the championship.  That is a great achievement,” added Berger.

Also defending Schumacher is his countryman and friend Sebastian Vettel, who until the great German’s struggle in 2010 was nicknamed by the German press ‘Baby-Schumi’.

“He is yet to exhaust the potential of his car and will therefore get better from a driving point of view from race to race,” the Red Bull driver told Switzerland’s Motorsport Aktuell.

“I wouldn’t write him off for a long time,” added 22-year-old Vettel.

Force India’s Adrian Sutil also sees nothing odd about Schumacher’s comeback to date.

“I had counted on it being difficult for him.  Formula one has changed to the extremes in the past few years so that you can lose half a second and not know exactly why,” he told spox.com.

“Plus it would have been funny if Schumacher had beaten us all after three years of being retired — then he really would have been the god of F1.

“That doesn’t mean he’s doing badly; on the contrary, he’s always in the top ten.  He only needs time,” added Sutil.

May 4 (GMM)  Christian Horner thinks Mercedes could be in a winning position in Barcelona — but his Red Bull colleague Helmut Marko doesn’t agree.

While Horner is awaiting the success of Mercedes’ much-vaunted big technical step for the Spanish grand prix, Marko warns that F1′s fastest car is about to get even faster.

“Based on our data – and it is very reliable – I am working on the assumption that in Barcelona we will be at least three tenths faster,” Red Bull’s motor sport consultant said on Austrian TV ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7′.

Former F1 driver Dr Marko insisted it is therefore unlikely that Mercedes’ W01 is set to take over as the 2010 pacesetter.

“Realistically, in qualifying, Mercedes was five to seven tenths behind us.  We are now three tenths even quicker, which means they would have to make up a second.

“And one second (per lap) is really a lot,” added Marko.

Red Bull is only fifth and third in the drivers’ and constructors’ championships respectively, but Marko is confident the team is in good shape.

“Now that we have such a great package, we are confident that we will achieve our goal of winning the championship this year,” he said.