Mark Webber is unmoved by Helmut Marko’s recent criticism of him.

The Red Bull motorsport director said Webber struggles to cope with the pressure of being in contention for the championship.

“Look, everyone at this level has their own agendas and it?������s been evident for a long time now that I?������ve never been a part of Marko?������s,” Webber told his official website.

During the off-season Webber had the final operation on the leg he injured in a road accident in November 2008.

“I had the final procedure on my right leg at the start of December to remove the remaining piece of metalwork, a 40cm titanium rod. The surgery went very smoothly and my recovery was exceptional.

“I had a few weeks off from my normal training schedule but I was able to ease myself back into it by the first week of January and now I?������m back into it properly.

“I didn?������t really know what to expect from having it removed, apart from my own peace of mind, but I?������m very happy that some of the niggles and pain I?������ve sometimes experienced with my training over the past three years already seem to be a thing of the past.”

Webber will have more than a new car to get used to this year as he has also changed race engineers over the winter:

“I’m certainly looking forward to getting my hands on the RB9 and I also have a new race engineer in Simon Rennie. It?������s going to be important to have a solid pre-season with him after spending some six years with Ciaron Pilbeam who I had a long and enjoyable relationship with, but he?������s no longer with the team.

“I?������m looking forward to starting the season in Australia having prepared very well for it over the past two months. But it?������s clear there?������s no point getting too far ahead of yourself, so it?������s a case of taking each week, test and race as it comes.”

2013 F1 season

Image ?�?� Red Bull/Getty