Vettel: Ferrari needs to work better, not harder
Sebastian Vettel says Ferrari needs to work better rather than harder if it is to make the step and end Mercedes' title dominance in Formula 1.
After a Japanese GP weekend where Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas helped Mercedes seal its sixth consecutive constructors' championship, Vettel thinks the key aspect Ferrari needs to focus on is ensuring it always performs at its best.
"I don't think we're lacking anything," said Vettel. "I think we just need to work better.
"I think we are very committed, working very hard but it's not yet on the level that can be achieved.
"Obviously Mercedes have shown that in the last years that you can do better and they've been able to maintain that. I think we are not in that position."
Vettel said that Ferrari needs to concentrate on overcoming its obvious deficits so it can hit the ground running next year.
"There's still room for improvement," he said. "It doesn't start in Mexico - next year.
"Next year starts next year so whatever we can learn this year, I think we've learned a lot about our car, the weaknesses. We've improved it but we're still not there so… We've had a strong couple of races but overall I think we're still a little bit behind."
And Vettel is clear that Ferrari has no room for weaknesses in any aspect of its performance if it is going to take on a team that is as strong as Mercedes.
"Obviously you can't see what they are doing but I think from the outside they are very close to perfection every time they go out on track," he said. "So very consistent, very little mistakes. That's certainly also part of what makes them so strong.
"If you clinch the constructors title with four races to go there's a lot of things you do better than all the others. If you go into detail then you can argue what their car is maybe doing better than ours but I don't think that's the point overall. It's a team effort
"As I said, I think we do have the ingredients, we do have the commitment, we do have the intelligence but we just need to do it better.
"It's a lot of small things; it's not one thing that we need to improve, it's a lot of small things that we need to do better, every single one of us and that's the only way that we can try and step up. Hopefully they get a bit bored. We will see what happens."
Toro Rosso gets approval for F1 team name change
Insight: The full story of why Verstappen switched F1 helmets
Why 2022 could be Leclerc's best chance to end his Monaco F1 curse
Charles Leclerc's ill-fortune at his home Formula 1 race is well-established. But his single lap pace and over longer runs during Friday practice will leave the Ferrari driver upbeat that he can make up for his Barcelona disappointment by finally recording a finish and perhaps even banking 25 world championship points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix...
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...