Qualifying gap to Mercedes leaves Vettel 'a bit down'

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Sebastian Vettel never really appeared in the running for pole this evening in Bahrain, with the Ferrari driver set to line up third on tomorrow's Bahrain GP grid.

It was an all-Mercedes affair in Q3 with Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton going head to head while Vettel was left behind, four tenths adrift from the Silver Arrows.

"In Q2 I thought OK, it will be tight', happy to go into Q3 - and then I was very happy with my first lap," said Vettel, who dominated yesterday's free practice sessions.

"And when I got the time, I was a bit down. Four tenths was a lot more than expected given how good I felt.

"On the last run, I tried probably too hard everywhere, we had nothing to lose.

"I tried a bit harder but didn't work, was slightly slower. Being a tenth quicker [wouldn't be] good enough but I tried."

Bottas beats Hamilton to Bahrain pole!

While Vettel outpaced team mate Kimi Raikkonen, the German was at a loss to explain the sudden deficit which separated Ferrari from Mercedes, but he remains confident in giving his rivals a run for their money tomorrow.

"I haven't seen where we lost most of the time, but a little spread everywhere," he said.

"Sector 1 and 3 stood out, Sector 2 not too bad. I don't know if they have an update for here, and they can push harder.

"We lost a bit more time there, a bit more than usual. For tomorrow, the most important thing is the car felt good today."

GALLERY: All the pictures from Saturday in Bahrain

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.