Mark Webber makes Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso claim about Ferrari. Webber makes Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso claim about Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton would face a sterner challenge from Ferrari if Fernando Alonso replaced Sebastian Vettel, claims ex-Formula One driver Mark Webber. Hamilton is just one race away from claiming the fifth World Championship of his career after opening up a 67-point gap over Vettel.

The Brit has driven incredibly since returning from the summer break and his Mercedes looks unbeatable on the track. But Webber, who quit F1 in 2013, thinks he would be more worried if Alonso had a similar car.

“It’s a fine line of course. From Monday to Saturday, Sebastian is better than Fernando, but on Sunday (in the race) Fernando is the one you want,” Webber told Marca – “He’s better than Seb. But if you do not have the car…”

Alonso is expected to join the IndyCar series at the end of the year as he bid to win the Triple Crown of motorsport. However, Webber is sceptical of the Spaniard joining such a “dangerous” sport: “I would not particularly like IndyCar to do a long time because it is dangerous and the people who run there have a lot of experience, they have been around for many years,” he added – “Yes, he did a great job last year at the 500 Mile but I just hope he knows when to stop although I’m not the one to tell him. He’s big enough to know when to take it. But of course his withdrawal from F1 was correct, he had to pass, it was the right time to do it.”

Webber also reflected on his most memorable moments from his time in motorsport’s premier competition: “Winning the Grand Prix of Monaco, or my first race in Germany was tremendous,” he said – “When I run I do not think about it but when I look back stellar moments I spent five years, every weekend, battling against pilots like Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel, of course a tough company, also with Michael Schumacher of course, but with Alonso and Hamilton at the top.

“Against those two, every week, it’s one of my great moments, they made me better.

“Difficult, but they made me better. I worked with a lot of people who made me better than I ever thought in the sense that you only know how good you are when you’re in a totally hot situation and that’s where you have to prove it.”