Sebastian Vettel 'won't miss' qualifying struggles in F1 retirement

Vettel, Aston Martin, Italy, Monza, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Italian Grand Prix

Vettel 'won't miss' qualifying struggles in F1 retirement

Vettel was eliminated in Q1

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Sunday 11 September 2022 14:15

Sebastian Vettel has insisted he will not miss F1 on days like Italian Grand Prix qualifying when he retires following another Q1 failure with Aston Martin.

The German was unable to set a competitive time on his first run before missing out on the second session by 0.069secs to Williams debutant Nyck de Vries.

After initially qualifying 17th, due to a raft of grid penalties, the four-time F1 champion will start 11th.

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Asked how hard a continuation of Aston Martin's qualifying struggles would be to deal with over the final six races of the season before he retires, Vettel replied: "I have all the answers that I need and I have got to deal with them.

"I am happy with that. I know in different circumstances I can also do a different job. I try my best and finish the job the way I like to do the job which is to do it properly, give it all I have and that will be the end.

"The sun will still come up the Monday after the last race. It will be sad but I won't miss days like this, to be honest."

Addressing his Monza qualifying, Vettel explained: "We had a problem with the bodywork early in the session so we didn't have the laps we needed to get into a rhythm.

"I had one lap in the end, I was happy with the lap but we were too slow this weekend.

"This weekend has been generally difficult so I expect [the race] to be difficult as well. Yes, we have gained some places but it will be difficult to hang onto them."

Vettel perplexed as Aston Martin slow everywhere

Aston Martin's troubles were underlined by Lance Stroll's failure to also reach Q2, resulting in a double elimination.

The team has struggled at the back of the field all season but Vettel said: "It is the same old game, nothing has changed. It has been like this for as long as I remember.

"I have never seen a team starting last at the beginning of the season and being at the front at the end of the season.

"You don't catch up and probably this is the hardest year to catch up because you can't spend money, so it is what it is, we try.

"Here and there we show a little bit more but on this track, for some reason, we are not very quick in the corners and not very quick on the straights.

"It is not a good compromise."