Vettel predicts Hamilton-Bottas title result

Sebastian Vettel says Lewis Hamilton will easily win the world drivers' title for a sixth time, despite Valtteri Bottas winning the Japanese Grand Prix to cut his lead in the standings.

Bottas' victory combined with Hamilton coming home in third with the fastest-lap bonus point secured Mercedes' sixth straight constructors' title and also eliminated everyone bar the Silver Arrows pair from the race in the drivers' championship.

However, Bottas' chances remain slim and Hamilton can win the championship next time out in Mexico if he outscores his team-mate by enough points, putting the scale of Bottas' task in context.

"Lewis will win it," Vettel said. "Doesn't matter which race. I don't think it matters for him, does it? It wouldn't matter to me."

Vettel began the year as many onlookers' favourite for the title owing to Ferrari's strong pre-season performances, but it has taken the Scuderia too long to unlock the SF90's potential, with team order rows and errors from Vettel resulting in a frustrating campaign.

The German added: "Obviously not happy with the fact that we didn't have the year that we were looking for but it's not today that made the difference, not yesterday, not last week.

"Obviously it's been a long year and it's still going so… I don't think we're lacking anything. I think we just need to work better.

"I think we are very committed, working very hard but it's not yet on the level that can be achieved.

"Obviously Mercedes have shown that in the last years that you can do better and they've been able to maintain that.

"I think we are not in that position, but I've loved to be honest and I'm sure that we would be more enthusiastic by nature but that's not the case so we need to work better.

"As I said, I think we don't need to work harder but I think we need to work better."

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