Fair play, Vettel didn’t want to be a «problem » in the Hamilton-Rosberg battle
The Ferrari driver didn't take any ill-considered risks to overtake Nico Rosberg at the end of the race. However, he was keen to clarify his position on the subject...
On a strategy different from his fellow competitors, the Ferrari driver made his last stop on the 37th lap, after leading for eight laps during this Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Equipped with new super-soft tires, he was able to enjoy the end of the race by overtaking his teammate and especially the two Red Bull drivers. Indeed, the driver powered by the Prancing Horse achieved the very last fastest lap available (on the 43rd lap of the race), by far!
DHL FASTEST LAP AWARD: Sebastian Vettel ends 2016 on a high with a scorching fastest lap at the #AbuDhabiGP 🔥🔥🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/K7gSPIEHTL
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
Vettel did not mince his words about Hamilton’s race!
Toward the end of the race, he had practically come back into the slipstream of the two leading Mercedes cars. It is true that, well aided by Lewis Hamilton’s uneven pace, Vettel was even in a position to overtake Rosberg in the very last laps. This would have greatly helped Hamilton’s climb in the overall standings. But in reality, Sebastian Vettel couldn’t get past his compatriot. It was an intense race finish! In the last laps, I didn’t want to be a problem, so I tried to get as close as possible to overtake them both. I knew Lewis was slowing down ahead.
Unlike the Mercedes leaders, Vettel openly criticized Hamilton’s overly defensive attitude: “It was a difficult situation at the end with Lewis who was playing quite a dirty game!”
The former Red Bull driver detailed his attitude towards Rosberg: “I tried in the second straight but Nico defended well. I couldn’t attempt something stupid because Lewis was right in front, I could have hit him in the maneuver!”
Curiously, Vettel insisted that he did everything he could to pass the driver in front of him. « I did everything I could. Following two cars, you slide and your tires get hot. Lewis was too close, I could have tried differently. »
Heartfelt tributes to his team but also to the new world champion…
On a personal level, this beautiful third place marked his seventh podium of the season. A rather pale total in view of the thirteen podiums of 2015. But the driver emblazoned with the number 5 preferred to focus on the positives at the end of the season: « I think we have shown our real strength by coming back like this. We had a very good race pace in the last Grand Prix, competing against Red Bull. We showed the energy that this team has. The spirit of Ferrari is unbreakable! I know we will work hard this winter because the team deserves to be back in front! »
Ultimately, Rosberg maintained a second place synonymous with the crown. Vettel, meanwhile, congratulated his compatriot, who becomes the third German driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship, along with the seven titles obviously won by Michael Schumacher: « I think in my opinion that you don’t win a championship just by luck. Nico won today, he deserves to be champion. Sometimes, you are lucky or unlucky with your car, sometimes you have great years, sometimes you have disastrous years. But today was Nico’s day, we must salute him as a deserved champion. »
