F1: Vettel Mystified By Loss Of Pace

Formula 1

F1: Vettel Mystified By Loss Of Pace

After leading all three practices, Sebastian Vettel qualified only third in Singapore...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted September 22, 2012 Marina Bay (SGP)

Sebastian Vettel has been unstoppable in Singapore — until qualifying. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Sebastian Vettel admitted he was mystified as to why he finished Q3 half a second off pole man Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel was quickest in all three practice sessions at Singapore but lost speed when it mattered in qualifying.

“I don't know, to be honest,” said Vettel when asked where his pace had gone. “I think the speed was there, but we weren't able to really improve, whereas in Q2 I got the lap in reasonably safely, and I was a little bit off Lewis, I think, one and a half tenths.

“I was confident that we can go quicker somewhere, lower in the 46s region. I think Lewis' time in Q3 was very quick. ... We don't know, but I think the pace was there to do better than what we did in Q2, but in Q3 we just couldn't. And in the end, I was even struggling to repeat the lap I did in the beginning, so obviously a bit disappointing, but I think the speed is there.

“We have been competitive throughout the weekend. The race is very long here, a lot of things can happen — safety cars — so it's important to be in the right place at the right time and then we go from there.”

Vettel admitted that there were question marks over how tires will impact strategy.

“I think it's difficult to know now how long we will be able to stay out," the Red Bull driver said. "Obviously, we have a rough idea. I think we're all on the same tire and the same amount of laps, so we will see when the lights go off. But I think it will be a difficult race for tire degradation, and I think the difficulty is that we probably don't know what to expect, so we will see tomorrow, I think.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.