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.

Mark Webber “regrets” comments he made at Silverstone last week, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said on Tuesday.

In the wake of the Silverstone front wing furore, Australian Webber issued a lengthy statement backtracking from suggestions Sebastian Vettel is the team’s preferred driver.

“We spoke together quite early last week,” Horner said in an interview with Germany’s SID news agency.

“It was good.  I think Mark regrets some of the comments he made because they detracted from a great team achievement.

“Mark’s performance was first-class, but it was a victory for the team, just as were the ten before it,” added the Briton.

Horner revealed that more spare wings will be on hand at Hockenheim this weekend, but insisted that running a different specification on one car was not such an unusual situation in F1.

“Every team in the pitlane takes decisions, whether it’s Virgin with their chassis with the bigger fuel tank, the F-duct at Sauber or who at Ferrari was allowed to drive with the new exhaust system in Fiorano,” he said.

“You can find a hundred different examples.  Unfortunately, with this decision, many emotions came together.”

He rejected suggestions that Webber will try to find a way out of his 2011 contract.

“Mark knows the support that he has in this team.  And I can’t imagine where else he will want to go.”