Vettel was able to control Bottas' top speed

For once in Sao Paulo (Brazil), the identity of the winner of the Grand Prix was determined from the first corner. Starting from second place on the starting grid, Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) took the advantage over Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) diving inside Senna's S. Therefore, the car Red will keep the Mercedes in its mirrors until the checkered flag drops.

However, the German almost missed his chance. “My impulse at lights out was very good. Then I felt slipping when shifting gears, I feared I wouldn't be able to attack Valtteri.", explains Sebastian Vettel. “I was then able to cut the line on the inside, which was crucial to take the lead. »

The neutralization of the event with the safety car was then another disruptive element for the wearer of number 5. “I think the Safety Car turned off its light bar late. It was therefore difficult to leave a sufficient gap with her because the pit straight is long and the safety car is not that fast. It's not easy to assess the delta to keep between the car and me. »

With the tarmac heated to almost 60 degrees, tire management was essential in order to get the car safely to its destination. “I was able to control the gap while attacking, even though it was a difficult test. Valtteri and I had roughly the same pace, we had to manage the tire degradation well. It's a big relief to bring it here! »

At no time did the four-time world champion worry about return from the back of Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). “The super soft tires were clearly the fastest at the end of the race, and Lewis was very fast. The team warned me of his return on the radio, but I knew he would have difficulty overtaking Kimi (Räikkönen). »

This is the first victory for the leader of the Scuderia since the Hungarian Grand Prix before the summer break, despite a deficit in top speed against the Mercedes. “With his best speed, Valtteri came back in the first and last sector. So I had to do the intermediate portion perfectly, every lap. At the finish, I was at the limit of the grip of my tires”, he admitted at a press conference on Sunday.