LONDON: Mark Webber ended speculation about a move to Ferrari on Tuesday by signing an extension to his Red Bull contract that keeps him alongside Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel for a fifth season.
Red Bull's announcement means the 35-year-old, who is currently second in the championship standings behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, can look forward to a seventh year with the Milton Keynes-based team.
"There were discussions with Ferrari, but my decision was to stay here," he said in a Q+A issued by Red Bull, in which he also did not rule out staying in Formula One beyond 2013.
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The Australian had been touted as a replacement for Felipe Massa at the Italian glamour team, with the Brazilian out of contract at the end of the season and still chasing his first podium finish since 2010.
Webber, winner of Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, said the decision to stay put had been an easy one in the end because the team felt like family.
The Australian has raced for British-based Formula One teams since 2003 and lives within easy reach of Silverstone, enjoying walking his dogs in the countryside as well as also owning a village pub.
He has also taken all of his nine race wins, 10 poles and all but one of his 31 podium placings with Red Bull.
"It's an amazing bunch of guys and girls at Red Bull Racing and I really, really like working with them. That has a huge effect on me and how I perform in the car and it helped me in my decision," he said.
"We have gone through plenty together here. We went from the days when Red Bull had not long owned the team to what it is now," added the former Minardi, Jaguar and Williams driver.
"It is just one nice big family now in many ways and we have grown so much. We've come a long way and I think it's clear that I fit well here and that's what I really like about it."
-Reuters