Vettel rues Tsunoda clash but admits 'we didn't belong' in top 10

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Sebastian Vettel's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was undone by a contact with AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda while he was running P8, but the Aston Martin driver admits that he didn't belong among the fields' top ten.

Both Vettel and teammate Lance Stroll lined up on the penultimate row of the starting grid in Jeddah as a result of their qualifying runs being thwarted by traffic in Q1.

But Vettel enjoyed a good start and then opportunistically negotiated his way through the races successful red flags to settle in an impressive eighth position.

But his encounter with Tsunoda and subsequent spin put paid to his efforts and sent him down the order.

"I think we did what we could, I think we did amazing," Vettel said. "We started 17th and we were inside the top 10.

"I headed off, I think, both Ferraris and if you see where they started, obviously Carlos [Sainz] was more or less in the back of the train as well, but I think we did everything we could.

Read also: F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP

"Then it was clear in free air or in the race that we just did not have the pace, or the straightline speed, and we didn't belong there.

"So, Yuki was faster everywhere and I think he would have got past within the next 10 laps anyway.

"Obviously he locked up and I went back on the inside and was ahead, then we collided, so destroyed our races. Bitter, because I think we could have maybe saved a point."

©AlphaTauri

Vettel's on-track woes weren't over however as a wheel-to-wheel dice with his friend and former Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen led to another contact and damage that eventually forced him into retirement.

"I don't know where he wanted to go," explained the four-time world champion.

"So, I was surprised, because I had the inside of the corner last time I checked in the mirrors and the corner goes left, so I don't know where he wanted to go.

"I think we've seen in the starts that this corner is very tight and you can't fit two cars."

Asked if he had cleared up things with the Iceman after the race, Vettel replied: "Not much, Kimi doesn't talk much!"

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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.