SUZUKA, JAPAN // He may have been the dominant force in Singapore a week ago, but Sebastian Vettel is reticent to predict the same outcome in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
The Ferrari driver led from start to finish at the Marina Bay Circuit after taking pole position by more than half a second to pick up his third victory of 2015.
Mercedes-GP have been the team to beat this season, but unlike his triumphs in Malaysia and Hungary, Vettel did not need mistakes from his rivals to capitalise.
The 28-year-old German is wary of fuelling expectations, though, and he said he believes that a return to normality could be in the works at Suzuka, with the long straights and fast, sweeping curves expected to suit the Mercedes W106 chassis, which surprisingly struggled on the tight confines of Singapore.
Vettel had been comfortably beaten by Lewis Hamilton in Belgium and Italy, the two races before Singapore, where the Mercedes' powerful engine unit came to the fore at both tracks, and the four-time world champion said he believed a repeat of those results is more likely at Suzuka.
“I think you have to remain realistic,” Vettel said ahead of Friday’s practice sessions.
“In a way, it was a big surprise to see Mercedes struggling, which I don’t expect to be the case here.
“Again, it would be a big surprise if it happened here. But if the chance is there we have to go for it.”
If Vettel was looking for a cause for optimism, he has only to examine his previous record at Suzuka, where in six races he has won four times and finished third on the other two occasions.
“Yeah, I love the track,” he said. “It’s one of the old-school circuits on the calendar. It is a lot of fun.
"If you want to know what a Formula One car can do, then the first sector, I would say, sums it up."
Hamilton, who failed to finish a grand prix for the first time this season in Singapore after suffering a loss of power mid-race, has a 41-point lead over teammate Nico Rosberg in the drivers' championship standings, with Vettel a further eight points behind.
Hamilton said he hoped last weekend was just a one-off following a period of success for the German marque that has included 26 victories in the past 32 races.
“What happened in Singapore, it was specific to Singapore so we should go back to normal,” he said.
Rosberg shared his teammate’s opinion.
“We are still the same team that has won so many races, still the same car, same drivers, so the confidence is there,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez has confirmed he will remain with Force India for a third season.
The Mexican, who is ninth in the drivers’ standings with 39 points, will partner Nico Hulkenberg, who confirmed his own future with the team last month.
Perez said: “Since coming here I’ve really grown as a driver and I feel I’m performing at my best.
“I can feel the potential in the team, and there is a good energy, which gives me confidence for next year.”
gcaygill@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
