Vettel: “The best 2nd place I ever had”

Sebastian Vettel discovered this year the Italian Grand Prix under the colors of Scuderia Ferrari. A great first for the quadruple world champion who was once again able to measure the enthusiasm of fans for the drivers of Maranello.

Yet in the race, the former driver Red Bull could not confront Lewis Hamilton, big winner this Sunday at Monza on track, and who saw his victory confirmed by the stewards after the episode of tire pressures on his W06 Hybrid. Sebastian Vettel admitted, however, to having tried everything at the first corner.

“I was on the outside and it was going to be difficult. I went a little further on the brakes, but I had to give way, he was inside. We have seen in recent years that this can go wrong. I concentrated on exiting the corner, but it came out superbly, and I couldn't try anything.

I think at times we were close in lap times, he was only a tenth faster for a lap or two, I thought maybe we had a chance to close the gap, but it just seemed …in football you call it the second wind. »

Vettel finally finished the Lombard event in second position to the delight of Italian fans, and partly erased the disappointment of the Ferrari clan following the poor start of Kimi Räikkönen which cost the Finnish driver dearly. The German also felt that he could have managed Rosberg's return before the latter retired with an engine problem.

“Given the pace Lewis had, I knew Nico would end up having the same. What he had in the end was he was closing the gap, and it was getting pretty close, but I think we could have managed and finished in that place even without him dropping out. To sum up, It’s the best second place I’ve ever had.."

Find the full report and analysis of the Italian Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Monza in issue 2028 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.