Sebastian Vettel has vowed to keep on fighting for a world title with Ferrari, insisting he remains a man on a mission despite another unsatisfactory conclusion to his season with the Scuderia.
It's been a story of missed opportunities for the German driver and Ferrari in the past couple of seasons, the pair displaying solid strength in the first half the year only for their title bid to crumble after the summer, two years in succession.
"I still have a mission here and I still want to win -- that hasn't changed," he said ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.
"Obviously the last race was a tough one to swallow and probably the winter will be as well, but giving up is not an option."
A four-time world champion - with all his titles won between 2010 and 2013 with Red Bull - Vettel will finish runner-up in the drivers' standings for the third time in his career.
"I have been three times in a position like that in '17, '09 and this year," he remembers.
"Probably '09 [when Brawn GP's Jenson Button was crowned champion] was the worst one and the lowest point. You never know what the next year brings and whether you get another chance.
"Obviously I worked very hard for it and I'm confident it will come but you can't predict. None of those moments were nice."
While the drivers' title is done and dusted, the Constructors' championship has yet to be decided, with Ferrari trailing Mercedes by 55 points before the Brazilian Grand Prix.
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