Sebastian Vettel: What part of the Canadian GP will be 'key' for the German?

Sebastian Vettel believes the final section of the lap of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will be “key” for him and the other drivers during the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, as it provides the best opportunity for overtaking if required.

Ferrari have had an abject beginning to the 2019 season, with Mercedes enjoying five one-two finishes in the first five races, with Vettel eventually breaking up Lewis Hamilton in first and Valtteri Bottas in third at the Monaco GP.

One of the issues the Scuderia have been facing is their speed around slow corners, but with the race in Canada providing more straights to suit their impressive speed, he thinks the team can finally put some pressure on Mercedes, and has pointed to a specific part of the track where he can get some joy.

“Last year, I started from pole and won the race, 40 years after [former Ferrari driver] Gilles Villeneuve won here,” said the four-time world champion.

“I will do my utmost to get a good result.

“Canada is a race we drivers really look forward to. We race on an island right in Montreal, a fantastic place full of fans that ensure a unique atmosphere.

“Usually, the track starts off really slippery and it takes quite a while to rubber in and provide a decent level of grip.

“The track is also known for being stop-and-go, with long straights and heavy braking points, split up by a few slow corners and some chicanes where you need to use the kerbs a lot.

“The final part of the lap is usually the key: you have to brake perfectly at the big hairpin so that you get the best exit to have a lot of speed on the long straight that leads to the pit lane or the final chicane.

“This is where you can try and overtake.”

Vettel is third in the drivers’ championship behind Bottas and Hamilton, 55 points off the lead.

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