Vettel retired in the second qualifying phase for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a hard-fought practice session and ended up in 13th place, although he was less than seven tenths behind the overall best time.
It was Vettel’s second qualifying defeat in a row against new Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll, who finished 10th after driving two tenths faster.
After qualifying in Imola, Vettel explained that after his arrival in the team over the winter and the previously limited mileage, he still lacked total confidence in the Aston Martin AMR21 car.
“We are of course right in midfield, and it’s very close, a few tenths could make a big difference,” said Vettel.
“I was happier with the feeling of the car, but maybe I still lacked the last bit of confidence. Overall, I think it’s getting better. As I said, it’s very tight, so we’ll see tomorrow.
“Maybe we have a little rain that could help us.”
Vettel had the feeling that he had “lost a bit” compared to his best performance in his last Q2 lap, but admitted that he “did not feel at one” with the car “yet”.
“Of course I’m not a very patient guy, so I don’t want to wait,” said Vettel.
“But it gets a lot better. Especially on a track like this you need the ultimate self-confidence to get the most out of it.
“I’m not there yet, but it’s only the second race, so I’ll have to be patient.”
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Vettel acknowledged that his lack of patience would “maybe sometimes” lead to the car oversteering, but stated that due to the different car philosophy, it took him longer to set off than previous team changes.
“The car is very different from what I was used to,” said Vettel.
“There are a few things with tires these days, and how you park the car, etc., can make a huge difference.
“So I think it might take a little longer for me than normal.
“To be honest, to be fair, for the last tenths that you fight in midfield, you immediately see the consequences.”
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