Sebastian Vettel: “Daniel shouldn’t have seen me”

When Sebastian Vettel will take stock of his 2018 season, there is no doubt that the first rounds will certainly be worth studying closely, as Flavio Briatore pointed out a few days ago.

As at Monza earlier in the year, the driver Ferrari lost big in the first loop this Sunday in Austin, Texas, being involved in a small collision with Daniel Ricciardo, his former teammate at Red Bull Racing.

Trying to overtake the Australian at turn 13, the quadruple world champion lightly touched the RB14 before spinning, thus ruining his chances of finishing well at the finish.

« I must have been in his blind spot, he must not have seen me, admits Vettel, quoted by Sky Sports F1. The corner was getting tighter and I couldn't really do anything and we were in contact. It's obviously a shame. It cost me a lot to come back. »

Finally returning fourth, Vettel temporarily prevents Hamilton to be sacred, the pilot Mercedes having been unable to do better than third in the United States behind Kimi Räikkönen and Max Verstappen

Torn between disappointment with his performance and joy for his teammate's victory, Vettel now has only a slim chance of preventing Hamilton from being titled in Mexico, a seventh place being enough for the Briton to claim a fifth crown.

Discover the full report and analysis of the United States Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Austin, in issue 2188 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.