Sebastian Vettel

Vettel not happy with Russian GP qualifying outing

Martin Macdonald Saturday 28 September 2019 16:45

Vettel not happy with Russian GP qualifying outing

Sebastian Vettel admits he didn’t get the most out of his car during qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix in which he finished third behind Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

At one point in the final stages of Q3, it looked like the German would at least be starting on the front row, only for Hamilton to put together an excellent final lap to beat him to P2.

This came after a less-than-routine Q1 which was a little too close for comfort for Vettel, who was in the elimination zone before a red flag stopped the session, meaning the pressure was on for a fast lap after the restart.

Overall, he thinks he could have done more.

“Obviously I'm not entirely happy,” he said in Sochi.

“I think I could've extracted the absolute maximum from the car. It was a disruptive Q1 but when we got to Q3 it was okay.

“The race will be decided tomorrow. The speed is there, so let's keep it up.”

Leclerc bests Vettel, Hamilton to take Russia poleRead more

Looking for the positives, though, he believes an advantage can be gained on the track from in behind due to the long straight which features in Sochi before the first turn.

“First you need a good start, then you worry about the rest. There is potentially an advantage if you're in behind,” the German explained.

Vettel is coming off his first victory of the season, and his first for a year, at the Singapore GP last weekend.

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Vettel not happy with Russian GP qualifying outing

Vettel not happy with Russian GP qualifying outing