Mark Webber vowed that he will go for victory in the Japanese Grand Prix after qualifying in pole position on Saturday, declaring he will not pull over for world title-seeking teammate Sebastian Vettel.
Webber was incensed earlier this year when Vettel ignored Red Bull team orders and passed him to win in Malaysia, and said there would be no favours on Sunday at Suzuka.
The Australian’s comments come despite Vettel being set to win the championship for the fourth time in a row – if he finishes first, and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso is outside the top eight.
“He’ll do his race tomorrow and I’ll do my race,” said the straight-talking Webber, who claimed his first pole of the season.
“Seb’s had a phenomenal year. It’s not like it’s the last race of the championship.
“Sebastian has a big points lead because of the work he’s put in. He can’t qualify on pole every race. Let’s see how it’s looking at the end of the race. In general we’ll be there for ourselves tomorrow.
“We’ll do what we can to get to turn one first and see what we do from there.”
Webber has previously claimed Red Bull show favouritism to Vettel.
The Australian is searching for the first win of his final Formula One season after announcing his retirement in June.
With all eyes on Vettel, Webber lapped 1min 30.915secs to push Vettel into second.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton will start behind the Red Bulls on the second row alongside Lotus’s Romain Grosjean, with Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg on the third row.
Nico Hulkenberg timed seventh, just ahead of Fernando Alonso.
Webber said pole position was a sweet farewell to Suzuka, despite admitting he’d been helped by a KERS problem plaguing Vettel.
“Sebastian had a problem so it’s a little bit of a hollow pole,” Webber told reporters.
“But you take them where you can get them. It’s not like they hand them out.
“We did the laps when they counted and that’s what was important. It’s a very, very nice farewell pole here on my last attempt at Suzuka on a really phenomenal circuit.”
Vettel refused to blame his mechanical problem for missing out on what would have been his fifth straight pole position in Japan and his fourth in a row this season.
“I had a problem with the KERS system but it’s not my style to make excuses,” said Vettel. “Congratulations to Mark.”
Webber had also proved quickest in the morning’s final free practice in a session halted by a red flag after Jean-Eric Vergne’s Toro Rosso burst into flames at the rear end due to overheating brakes.
Before him, there was early drama as Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber caught fire after being rolled back into the garage with the driver still in his seat.
The rampaging Vettel has a massive 77-point lead with only 125 available from the last five races after winning in South Korea last weekend, and is set to become only the third man to win the Formula One title four times in a row.