Sebastian Vettel was gracious in defeat towards Lewis Hamilton after the Briton wrapped up his fourth Formula 1 title at the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday.
Light contact between the pair exiting Turn 3 at the start would see the two main championship contenders fall to the back at the end Lap 1 as they pitted for repairs, resulting in the awkward scenario of watching both having to fight back through the field.
A little less disadvantaged due to only a damaged front wing compared to a puncture on the Mercedes, Vettel would try to put himself back into a position to continue the fight on to Brazil but in the end, it was too much as could only manage fourth.
The pair would embrace back in the paddock in a show of respect but the German admitted it was still deflating to see his title hopes end even if his chances had become increasingly thin.
“I’m down, obviously. It’s tough to cross the line and realise that you’re not in the fight anymore. That sums it up,” he said of his emotions. “The rest isn’t that important, whatever happened today, the most important thing is it’s Lewis’s day – he was crowned world champion and he deserves that.
“I would have loved to go up on him but it’s his day, it’s his year. For us, obviously, we’re left with whatever is left. Right now, it’s disappointing.”
The change in momentum following the summer break allied to two retirements in three races proved decisive in making Hamilton’s championship triumph a little easier than was expected but overall the 30-year-old accepts the “best man” won.
“Next year will be a different story as we all start again, but right now, in these moments, you need to give credit to the best man and that is him this year,” he said. “Overall he was the better man and did the better job, simple as that.”
Now tied with four titles apiece, it does raise of the prospect of the two most successful drivers of their generation battling it out for number five in 2018 and Vettel insists he won’t give up.
“I don’t fear him. I like racing with him,” he said in a later interview with Sky Sports. “I would have liked a little bit more of that this year but overall, they were just the better bunch.”
