Vettel on the moment that could have left him at back of Spanish GP grid; Second-fastest qualifier still optimistic he can win race
Sunday 14 May 2017 13:27, UK
Sebastian Vettel has admitted he only queried Ferrari's instruction to stop at the start of Barcelona qualifying because he couldn't see an obvious place to park.
Ferrari had detected what they initially believed to be a session-ending problem on Vettel's car at the start of qualifying, but what happened next may prove to be one of the most critical moments of the season.
After being told to "stop the car" as he embarked on his first lap in qualifying, Vettel asked "are you sure?" and then received permission to attempt to continue before eventually qualifying on the front row.
Report: Hamilton pips Vettel to pole
Had the world championship leader stopped at the start of Q1 then he would have had to start Sunday's race - in which it is notoriously difficult to overtake - from last and in grave danger of losing the lead of the title race.
"The issue was a programming issue but l am blind in that moment and didn't know what to do," Vettel admitted. "I was cruising and I just wanted to double check that l got the message right. If l had got confirmation l would have stopped in the next convenient place.
"I had just missed an opening on the track so that is why l had time to ask if we were sure because l had to go round Turn Four and look for another opening."
Vettel's engine then reverted to full power after a change of settings and the German was able to claim second place on the grid with less than a tenth between the Ferrari and the pole-sitting Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. It could and perhaps should have been even better for Vettel after a mistake in the penultimate corner ultimately proved decisive.
"A tiny lockup was the difference. I've been coming here so many times and still the last chicane is tricky for me," he bemoaned.
Vettel also praised the new parts which Ferrari have, rather inconspicuously, introduced this weekend to match the expansive upgrade debuted by Mercedes.
"I'm happy with the bits we brought here," he said. "Maybe they are not flashy or bling but they are working - I'm really happy with how things are going.
"In the race, looking after the tyres will be key. With the strategy, there should be some options. I think it will be close. Maybe they have brought more visual stuff, but I am happy with what we have brought. I am confident for tomorrow."
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