Vettel and Ferrari lost confidence when rain set in

Sebastian Vettel admitted that Ferrari were drained of confidence in the wet weather after he could only qualify fourth for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton leading a Mercedes front-row lockout. As in Germany last weekend, a damp track cost Vettel what had seemed certain success, with Hamilton the beneficiary.

Six days after spinning out of the German Grand Prix, Vettel looked set to respond in style, as he was the quickest man in two changeable qualifying sessions, but Ferrari's performance suddenly tailed away in the full-wet top-10 shootout.

Hamilton emerged with pole position, Valtteri Bottas following him in second, with Vettel only quick enough for fourth place alongside his stable-mate Kimi Raikkonen on the second row.

"I don't think there was an awful lot missing but we were not quick enough," he said.

"I think it was difficult in the wet and difficult to squeeze everything out of the car. I think the laps that I had were fine but just not quick enough.

"In wet conditions we are not as confident as in the dry, so there is some work to do and I think today it was a tricky session and it could have been anything.

"I think we managed it well until the end, we were missing a bit but that's how it is."

There remains a slight chance of rain in Sunday's race, but Vettel will be hoping for dry conditions and for Ferrari to keep up their recent electric race starts.

"I think in the dry we were pretty much in control. It wasn't dry this afternoon, so it wasn't meant to be, but we will see tomorrow obviously as the race is long so we will see what we can do.

"I mean it is not easy and it is better if you start first but we are starting from fourth so we are focusing on winning from fourth."