Vettel had 'no rhythm' in qualifying but race pace looks good

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Sebastian Vettel is confident his race pace will prove more effective than his speed in qualifying after the Aston Martin driver's failure to make the Q3 cut in Styria on Saturday.

Vettel's finished his day just P14 while Aston teammate Lance Stroll just made it into Q3. The German pinned his shortfall on his inability to string together a proper lap.

"I struggled to put the laps together today and when the grid is so tight [on a short lap] it can be quite costly," he said.

"So I am not so happy after today’s qualifying and I need to try to understand why I did not find the rhythm. It feels like we lost a bit of time everywhere, rather than just one corner."

©AstonMartin

Although disappointed, the four-time world champion felt that some good points will be up for grabs in Sunday's race.

"There can still be a good race ahead for us and I am confident we will have decent race pace tomorrow," he said. "We have a free choice of tyres and it is a track where overtaking is possible."

Read also: Aston Martin 'still working' on start time for Fallows

Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer commended Stroll for a job well done on Saturday, noting that the Canadian will launch his race from P9 following Yuki Tsunoda's three-place grid drop.

"It is a good feeling to be back in Q3, especially when it happens after such a tight qualifying," commented Stroll.

"It was good fun out there and I think 10th [now ninth due to a rival’s penalty] was the most we could achieve today. It has been a smooth weekend so far.

"From the first laps in FP1, I have felt really good in the car and it has given me the confidence to really push because the balance has been consistent in every session.

"We have shown competitive pace in the last couple of races, so I think we can fight for some good points tomorrow. Anything can happen, especially with the weather, so let’s see how it plays out."

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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.