Webber and Massa indulge in mind games

Red Bull's Mark Webber and Ferrari's Felipe Massa indulge in mind games ahead of the season-opening grand prix

Webber and Massa indulge in mind games

Red Bull's Mark Webber and Ferrari's Felipe Massa indulge inu00a0mind gamesu00a0ahead of the season-opening grand prix

Red Bull's Mark Webber has tipped Ferrari as the team to beat this season in Formula One despite hailing his own marque's preparations ahead of a new campaign as the best he has experienced.

Mark Webber (top) and Felipe Massa

Arguably, Webber's words could be interpreted as nothing more than brinkmanship, an attempt at psychological warfare because Red Bull seemingly have the edge at this stage.

On the third day of the final pre-season test Webber had to settle for the third fastest time behind Sauber's Sergio Perez and Felipe Massa in his Ferrari.

Rookie Perez's hot lap of one minute 21.761 seconds is misleading as it was posted on a low-fuel qualifying run with super-soft tyres, the best configuration for a driver looking to set a fast time.

Behind the Mexican, Massa was 0.331secs adrift and Webber 0.705s down as Red Bull were headed for the first time this week at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

Assessing the picture with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix just 17 days away, Webber said: "Ferrari are strong. I think we're going okay, and the rest is hard to say.

"Hopefully we are not too far away from Ferrari to start with and we go from there, but the form is still very hard.

"I would not put my house on qualifying in Melbourne. I don't know who has the outright pace. It's impossible for me to know what the red guys (Ferrari) are doing.

"Race runs they are going okay, they look quick."

In response, when Webber's remarks were put to Massa, the Brazilian naturally suggested Red Bull are early favourites.

"I tip Red Bull," said Massa. "First of all they are a team that won last year, and second they are very quick here.

"Yesterday Sebastian (Vettel) did a very quick time as well, so I tip Red Bull, although I hope Mark Webber is right."

Webber, though, certainly could not be happier with how Red Bull have conducted themselves this pre-season, at least providing the ideal platform on which to launch their challenge.

"In terms of team preparations it's the best we've had in terms of reliability and understanding the car.

"All the departments have done a sensational job, although there's still a long, long way to go," he added.

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