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No anti-Hamilton ‘witch hunt’ insists Webber

There is no vendetta against Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 world champion’s formula one competitor Mark Webber insists.

Australian Webber was heard on the radio complaining about the Briton during the recent Chinese grand prix, when a clash pushed the Red Bull wide.

After Malaysia, Hamilton was the subject of intense controversy surrounding his weaving in front of Vitaly Petrov, and in China he was again warned by officials after a pitlane encounter with Sebastian Vettel.

But Webber, 33, denies the McLaren driver’s rivals deliberately give Hamilton a hard time.

“There’s absolutely nothing against Lewis,” he told the BBC.

Regarding the Petrov incident, Webber said the drivers wanted to clarify the FIA’s future response to straight-line weaving, insisting there is no “witch hunt against anyone”.

“If anyone had driven like that there would have been some questions asked.  It’s totally fair to do that.  In the end it was nipped in the bud.  Lewis is fine with it and we move on,” he added.

Triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart thinks it is Hamilton’s overtaking skills and on-track “enthusiasm” that are causing the problems among his rivals.

“He has woken up a lot of drivers with his skills,” he told the Mirror.

“I don’t think he is dangerous.  He has got a lot of enthusiasm but he has to realise that can induce judgments you otherwise might not make.  That is part of the maturing process,” added the 70-year-old Scot.

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