Sebastian Vettel took the positives from a difficult Brazilian Grand Prix, as he finished fifth at Interlagos.
The German endured a challenging race, spinning early on in the wet conditions, but enjoyed a strong recovery. He did leave the race frustrated at Max Verstappen once again, however, after the Red Bull driver appeared to push Vettel off track in his charge up through the field.
The wet conditions in Brazil caught a number of drivers out, including Vettel as the Ferrari aquaplaned and span exiting the final corner, leaving Vettel facing the wrong way briefly. He was able to get the car back under control but a slow pit stop immediately after only added to the misery.
Vettel believed he was lucky dropping back to 18th place was the only outcome: “I think I was not the only one who got caught out by the aquaplaning, but luckily I didn’t crash,” he said.
Indeed, it was only a handful of laps later that the first crash of the race (the second of the day) took place when Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson lost control coming up the hill. Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen also suffered the same fate a few laps later.
It looked like Vettel was well out of points contention when the race resumed but, in a long and eventful race, even a podium looked possible in the closing stages.
“I think it was a good recovery in the end,” he said. “It was difficult to come back, and I struggled to get past Sainz: I don’t know why it took me a lot of laps before I started to feel well in the car, and then it was too late.”
Vettel had managed to move up to fifth position when the familiar Red Bull of Verstappen appeared in his mirrors. The German defended hard against when the youngster attempted a move around the outside but when Verstappen had the inside line at the final corner there was nothing Vettel could do to keep him behind.
The Ferrari was pushed onto the grass, and Vettel immediately radioed the team saying Verstappen forced him off track but there wasn’t even an investigation into the move.
Vettel said after the race that he wasn’t going to complain.
“I think I was racing side by side to him and he saw me,” he said. “I still had a little bit of my nose ahead, he was much faster so it was about making the corner and he got past. Not a difficult passing manoeuver, but I don’t think it was fully correct. But I wouldn’t complain about anything today.”
Vettel would gain a final position late on, after managing to get past Carlos Sainz in the closing laps and now goes into the final race of the championship fourth in the standings but with Verstappen only five points behind him.
