Webber promises more F1 action

After a frustrating eighth spot at Bahrain and widespread complaints that new refuelling rules have taken the buzz out of the race, Webber is confident Albert Park will be different.

"Being a street circuit, this track evolves a lot over the course of the weekend," he said. "It's a very green circuit, with low grip initially and then as the weekend goes on the teams have to adjust to the track where Bahrain is grippy right through the weekend."

The Melbourne weather could play a part too. "It can always throw something up," he said. "Either of those two I think will play a reasonable role on the Sunday afternoon. There's no way the next four races will go like Bahrain - there will be more action."

Webber had two wins last year and is confident his Red Bull team and teammate Sebastian Vettel will do better this year. "We are certainly in the hunt of a good result," he said. "However Ferrari is very strong, they've just had a one-two in Bahrain and both Seb and I are certainly in a position to challenge for a good result. Ferrari have a phenomenal record here in Melbourne too, they have always had good cars here and we hope we can give them a hard time."

Webber said the return of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to F1 this season had hyped up the Bahrain opener and now it was down to business. "It wasn't probably the most exciting Grand Prix but I think there will be some other races this year that won't be like that," he said.

Saturday qualifying and grid position will be even more critical this year. "In the past you could get out of jail sometimes but it's not the case this year," he said. "It wasn't the case in Bahrain, most people were in the position where they qualified."

Lean as a whippet Webber is fighting fit, having lost the 5kg he put on over the off-season and getting the all-clear for minor surgery in November. "I was the heaviest I've ever been," he said. "I know what people go through now when they hop on the scales and ask 'how the hell did that happen?' It was the first time in my life it happened to me."

Last year's success is motivating him. "I'm more than fit enough to do the job I need to do."