Webber denies giving up on 2012 championship

Mark Webber has denied claims he has given up on ever winning the world championship despite being signed up with Red Bull for 2012.

An interview with the Australian, which took place in Singapore recently, emerged on Wednesday in which Webber admitted last year "was my last chance at being world champion".

Mark Webber

Photo by: Alessio Morgese

He suggested the team's "100 per cent" focus is with Sebastian Vettel, his teammate and the 2010 and likely 2011 title winner.

"Looking at the start we actually got (in 2011), it's clear where the support needs to go and I respect that in some way," said Webber, 35.

Well-known F1 blogger and Financial Times correspondent James Allen said Webber's honesty in the interview was "very refreshing and very unusual".

"It should come as no surprise therefore to see these comments," said Allen, "but you will be waiting a while to see a driver make comments of this kind again."

Indeed, Webber denies he made them at all.

"I'm hearing about a misquote about my plans to fight for the title next year, (it's) always possible to miss or add a few words for a good story," he wrote on Twitter from Japan.

To be fair, in the same Yahoo Singapore interview, Webber said he expects to be stronger next year.

"You can expect a stronger me next season and I hope to get a smooth start like we did in 2010," he said.