Going into the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, on paper at least, it didn't seem like one that would suit the Scuderia Ferrari outfit particularly well.
Despite that, they proved that they were able to fight for the win right down to the final lap.
Sebastian Vettel drove a great race and at the restart after the Safety Car, it really came very close.
The German champion, who had just signed a new three year deal with the Italian team, believes that had he qualified better, he would have been the one in the lead all the way to the finish.
“If we had ended up ahead in qualifying, then we would have had a good pace to stay in front today! I was surprised how close I could follow through the whole race,” he said. “So I am a bit angry at myself, because, when the race restarted after the safety car, I was probably too close to Lewis out of Turn 1.”
“I tried to open the gap down Eau Rouge but it's a difficult compromise. You see the cars coming behind and you know that you need to defend, instead of focusing on attacking. At the same time I know that down the straights we are not as quick as Mercedes.”
“So, I am not entirely happy, but after all it's been a great weekend for the team. We don't need to be afraid of any circuit, I believe we have the best car in terms of package.”
The SF70H proved to be very competitive and the team, both at the track and in Maranello, worked with concentration and determination. However, Vettel knows they still need to improve, especially for the next GP in Monza.
“There's still something missing but the guys in Maranello are very motivated. I think we have done the biggest improvement and a big step forward. Now we turn the page on and move on to Monza: let's see what happens there.”
