Vettel hit by suspension failure in Q1

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Sebastian Vettel was the first casualty in Q1 in Singapore after just a handful of laps following what appeared as a rear suspension failure on his Ferrari.

The German initially tried to drive around the problem but to no avail unfortunately. With no time available to tend efficiently to the issue and repair the injured SF16-H, Vettel is set to line up 22nd on tomorrow's grid.

Although points will only be distributed at the end of the race tomorrow evening, Vettel was obviously disappointed with his failure to qualify at the high end of the grid, considering his good chances of success.

"It looks like the anti-roll bar broke," said a despondent Vettel.

"Unfortunately we couldn't save the car until the second qualifying and have a look, we ran out of time."

Vettel expressed over the radio his frustration with his team telling him to stay out when the problem erupted, saying "It's just stupid, we're closing time."

"I was a bit annoyed because first we decided to go for another lap but it really wasn't any quicker and then we decided to pit to try and fix it but there was no time to do it."

Anything can happen in tomorrow's long race, and Vettel is hoping he can make the most of his last row start.

"We can still fight back with plenty of tyres, so we'll see what we can do with strategy but for sure it's not ideal.

"It's annoying and disappointing but we just have to deal with it and do the best tomorrow."

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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.