Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expects to discuss Mark Webber's future over Formula One's enforced summer break.
Webber has been with Red Bull since 2007 and has been signing one-year contract extensions in recent years since turning 30. Despite being told by the team not to pass team-mate Sebastian Vettel at the British Grand Prix Webber is believed to be happy to stay, and Horner told Sporting Life that he expected to be able to discuss a deal for 2012 over the next four weeks.
"We're talking about Mark for next year, and I'm expecting him to be here," Horner said. "He is a popular member of the team. We've always agreed that later in the summer we would sit down and talk. Mark and I have a very good relationship, and conversations with Mark - as you all know - tend to be fairly straightforward. Both sides are keen to continue, so during the next few weeks we will take the opportunity to sit down, and with this break in the championship look at next year."
Horner also played down comments from Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko that Webber would retire at the end of 2012 and would need to be replaced by someone like Daniel Ricciardo, currently at HRT.
"I think you'll find Helmut said 'possibly'. I think Helmut was probably focusing more on Ricciardo, and these things can obviously get lost in translation. Mark could have another two, three or four years in F1. That's down to him because he is still very competitive, very hungry."
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