Mark Webber and Jenson Button have given a glimpse of the goings-on behind the scenes at Red Bull and McLaren after revealing they have little to do with their respective team-mates after a race weekend.

Webber and team-mate Sebastian Vettel’s relationship has always seemed strained on the surface, and that tension came to a head during the 2010 season after Vettel was handed the nose cone from Webber’s car at the British Grand Prix – a move which prompted accusations of favouritism from the Australian.

The pair had earlier collided at the Turkish Grand Prix which led to Vettel’s infamous “crazy” hand gesture towards the Australian.

Webber and Vettel seemed to have improved their relationship this season, but speaking to German newspaper Bild, the 34-year-old revealed he doesn’t speak to the reigning world champion away from the track because he has nothing to say to him.

“No. Why? There is no reason for it,” he said after being asked if he talked to his team-mate.

“Let’s put it this way: I’m 34 years old, I read my daily newspaper so why ask him for his opinion. We have too many different opinions on things.”

“I’m really not an expert in many things but I am very interested in what happens around, which includes world affairs. If someone is not interested in the same things why should I still talk to him?”

McLaren and sponsors Vodafone meanwhile has often played up to the friendly relationship Button and Lewis Hamilton apparently share, while the pair often participate in keenly  but fairly contested wheel to wheel battles since the 2009 world champion joined the side at the start of the 2010 season.

“I’m really not an expert in many things but I am very interested in what happens around, which includes world affairs. If someone is not interested in the same things why should I still talk to him?”

That relationship was tested to the limit at the Canadian Grand Prix however as both McLaren drivers collided, forcing Hamilton to retire from the race. Button criticised the actions of his team-mate exclaiming “what is he doing!” over the team radio after the incident.

But while Button also said he doesn’t speak to Hamilton except across a race weekend, he insists it is the best way to keep their relationship healthy.

“We don’t spend any time together,” he told the Daily Mail. “It is the easiest way, really. We get on, but we still want to beat each other and that is always going to be the way.”

“We are very competitive people. For me, coming to this team, it was exciting to work with Lewis because he is one of the fastest drivers F1 has ever seen.”

“That is a challenge, and I am strong enough to take that challenge. If I didn’t feel comfortable with my ability, I wouldn’t have made the move to McLaren.” He added.

Button went on to take a spectacular victory at the Canadian Grand Prix which moved him to within 60 points of championship leader Vettel, while Webber and Hamilton sit third and fourth respectively in the drivers standings.

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