Vettel and Hamilton take stock of their 2017 season

Guests at a press conference ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) returned to their past duel this season in Formula 1. The opportunity to demonstrate that despite the bloodshed on the track (a wheel kick from Sebastian Vettel towards the Mercedes at low speed in Baku), the two men enjoyed their fight.

The Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August was according to them the most intense moment of the year. “I tried to push him to his limits from the first to the last lap”, remembers the spearhead of Scuderia Ferrari. “I had my chance in this race, but Lewis defended his place very well, especially on the climb to Eau Rouge. Overall it was a fun year! »

“I have to admit that Lewis certainly made fewer mistakes”, continues Sebastian Vettel. “In the end, he was better than me and he deserves his title. »

The British world champion is of course happy with his exercise, but according to him, the spectacle displayed between the two adversaries stems from good management of the discipline, in particular with the introduction of the new aerodynamic rules. “It was a real pleasure to drive these cars and take them hard. Although I think there is still work to be done in a few areas, F1 has made a big leap forward. Additionally, Liberty Media (new owners of F1) have done a remarkable job. »

Despite a defeat in 2017, Sebastian Vettel is positive. “The milestone we reached last winter was incredible. This made the year very tight with Mercedes. Of course, the final step is always the most complicated to achieve, but I feel the team is ready. We have some good solutions in the pipeline for next year. »