Motorsport: Webber struggling to stay with Vettel

While his teammate cruised to yet another victory, Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber's Indian Grand Prix did nothing but point to a potentially murky future.

Vettel, already crowned world champion for the second straight year, led from start to finish in his Red Bull at the Buddh circuit to claim his 11th win from 17 races.

The young German crossed the line 8.4 seconds ahead of Briton Jenson Button with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso third.

Webber was fourth, underlining his poor season - and perhaps pointing to more of the same next year - and he admitted frankly to again struggling with tyres.

Poor starts and an inexplicable inability to manage the Pirelli control tyres have underlined the difference between Vettel, who wins at will, and Webber on the other side of the garage.

Webber gave himself a harsh score after the race, saying he simply wasn't quick enough.

If the disparity between the two Red Bull racers continues in 2012 the team's precious manufacturers championship could be in peril.

Webber began in second place on the grid in India but was passed on the opening lap by Button.

He managed to stay with the McLaren initially, but dropped back after five or six laps and later lost the final rostrum position to Alonso after the second and final round of stops.

"We lost the podium in the middle of the race really," Webber said.

"It's pretty much the general story of this year - I just don't have the pace at the end of the stints, so I run out of tyres and then lose strategy.

"It means I have to pit earlier and it makes life harder," he said.

Webber said that he could not manage to both his tyres and the battle to keep up with Button.

"I was quick against him in the first few laps, but after that, as soon as you fight you chew up the tyres," he said.

Vettel had offered to help Webber win one of the remaining races in a bid to allow Red Bull to finish one-two in the championship.

That is virtually off the agenda now, with Button tightening his grip on second and only Abu Dhabi and Brazil GPs remaining.

Vettel, by contrast, has produced a dream season.

"The car is fantastic," he said, "the team is enjoying itself and we are on a run basically since the beginning of the season, and it's great.

"It's really enjoyable to know that we have already achieved a lot this year but we're still hungry so we're not lacking motivation at any stage.

"All the people come back with their questions but we seem to give them the right answers."

The right answers might be coming from Vettel - but certainly not from Webber.

- AAP