Vettel: “We didn’t expect this result”

La Formula 1 can hold some good surprises. Qualified in a very average fourth place on the starting grid for the Monaco Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) applied the Coué method on Saturday May 25. The German, who had hit the wall several times during testing, did not seem in a good position to finish on the podium.

But that’s exactly what happened 24 hours later! The wearer of number 5 first took advantage of the slow pit stop of Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) during the Safety-Car phase to move to third. Then, he benefited from the five-second penalty applied to Max Verstappen (Red Bull) For rise to second place. Or, curiously, his best result in the first six rounds of the 2019 season!

#Seb5 will start from P4 in tomorrow's #MonacoGP and # Charles16 from P16. #Which # SF90 #esseFerrari pic.twitter.com/Zuu3DyAOqa

- Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) 25th May 2019

“We did not expect this result, recognizes the four-time world champion. We were able to take advantage of other drivers' worries. Valtteri was pushed into the pit lane and had a puncture, we benefited from that. I tried to put pressure (on the leaders. Ed.), but I was having trouble with my tires », as was the case the day before.

“I saw that Valtteri was faster than me, but he didn't have the possibility of overtaking me. I don't think our car is as bad as it seems. We just lack support. The results could be better here and there, but the car is very difficult to get into the right operating window”he concludes. 

In the general classification, Sebastian Vettel is in fourth place, 55 points behind the leader Lewis Hamilton. 

Find the analysis of F2218 in issue 1 of AUTOhebdo, available Monday evening digitally and Wednesday on newsstands at Monaco by our special envoys.