Bullish Vettel will not reflect on Ferrari "struggles"

Sebastian Vettel is to focus only on the good times he has enjoyed at Ferrari rather than his "struggles" over the closing months of his time with the team.

Scoring just 16 points this season after the opening six races represents Vettel's worst start to a season since his first full campaign in Formula 1 with Toro Rosso.

After it was announced Vettel would be leaving Ferrari at the end of the year, the four-time F1 champion has at times often cut a dejected figure, not helped by continued issues with his car.

Suggested to Vettel he would have to accept there would not be a positive ending to his relationship with the team, he replied: "The year isn't over, so as a team we try to make progress, and individually, I try to make the best out of the situation.

"It is what it is. It is not an easy one but as I said, we are trying to the make the most out of it. I trust the people I have around me, the guys in the garage.

"There are a lot of people [who] put in a lot of hard work over the years so it is a respect to give everything I have as well, independent of the number of races I have left for the team."

Determined to remain as bullish as possible over the closing 11 races, Vettel added: "I don't look at the negatives or past things.

"First of all, I am not counting the races. I am going race by race and I am trying to do my job, do the best I can.

"Looking forward, I am always optimistic and see the opportunity rather than the struggles. I think that is also the right thing to do, irrespective of the realities of the last year.

"For sure, there were moments that were not good, not great, and moments that we did not enjoy, but equally, there were great moments, wins et cetera, a lot of positives as well.

"Everything comes to an end at some point. It is what it is. Independent of what happens next year and the years after that I will try to enjoy the time I have left with the guys I have spent so much time with over the last few years."

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