Vettel expecting tight battle with Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel will line fifth on tomorrow's Brazilian GP grid, sandwiched between Red Bull nemeses Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

The German has struggled on Saturdays recently, and was beaten in qualifying for the third time in succession by team mate Kimi Raikkonen, but Vettel did not believe the result was an underperformance.

"Today was a good day I think although I'm obviously not entirely happy, as the second row was there for both of us I think," said the Ferrari driver.

"Kimi did a very good job today and nailed it when it mattered. There have been a couple of qualifying sessions where I didn’t deliver my best, so you have to be fair."

"I was very happy with the first run, the second run was probably a bit too shy and too aggressive at the wrong point.

"All in all, I think it was a lot better on one lap today than it was yesterday, and on the long runs were usually quite strong. "

Vettel is expecting a close fight with his Red Bull rivals when the lights go green tomorrow afternoon.

"We can show what the car can do and for tomorrow I think we usually find more consistency and pace, so I am confident we can have a real battle for the podium.

"Our main opponent will be Red Bull, Mercedes seems a bit too quick… maybe there will be some rain, we need to be sharp and make the right calls. We should have a good race 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.