Vettel believes Red Bull advantage over Ferrari down to circumstances

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Sebastian Vettel failed to reach the podium in Hungary after chasing Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull for the better part of the 70-lap race, but feels his Ferrari was outright faster than the Red Bull.

The Milton Keynes outfit has outscored the Scuderia in every race since the European GP, and trails Ferrari by a single point in the constructors standings, but Vettel remains confident the Italian squad still has the upper hand.

"I think we were a lot faster, but we know as well this is Hungary and we need to be not just a lot faster," explained Vettel.

"I think we had half a second to a second in hand in the end, but it wasn't enough to get past. We had the fresher set and we knew we would come back in the end, but it's tricky to pass.

"In the race we had the pace to go on the podium but it was clear that if you are ahead you can be fairly aggressive, which Red Bull was and there was no way to pass.

"In the end we were faster but we couldn't get past on the track. I think it shows that if we qualify higher up we have an easier time in the race."

Once again, Vettel complained to his team over the radio about a backmarkers who did not make his task any more easy when negotiating traffic. But the German believes his vented frustrations are just impulsive and those he targeted were probably doing their best at the end of the day.

"I the heat of the moment you always think that you are losing more than the car ahead, going through traffic. To be honest I think the guys did a very good job, it's very difficult to be in that position.

"Cars are coming up quick in the small mirrors, and sometimes you lose and sometimes you gain, but overall it equals 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.