Vettel: Hamilton form only a factor in final F1 races

Sebastian Vettel feels Lewis Hamilton’s current dip in form will play a role in the Formula 1 world championship title race in “the last three races” as he expects a fightback from Mercedes at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Despite his strong start to the 2018 F1 campaign, Vettel saw his lead in the drivers’ standings trimmed to nine points by Hamilton after the German driver was collected by Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the Chinese Grand Prix which saw the Ferrari driver drop down the order to finish eighth.

Vettel, who is eager to brush off his clash with Verstappen this weekend in Baku, says he won’t change his mindset ahead of the rest of the F1 season after two pole positions and two wins from the opening three rounds.

The four-time F1 world champion also doesn’t feel a change in tactics is warranted after Hamilton’s indifferent start to the year. The Mercedes driver stormed to pole position at the season opener, before being denied victory by a safety car which allowed Vettel to dart ahead on strategy, while the reigning F1 world champion’s form has dropped off in Bahrain and China.

“We’ve not had that many races but I think he’s been as usual,” Vettel said. “He’s doing a very good job. Obviously Australia was his weekend but it ended up a bit different. Bahrain was ours. China, I’m not sure whose it was.

“I’m not looking at one guy that close or closer than others. I guess he’s doing a good job, otherwise he wouldn’t be as successful as he’s been last years.

“I hope to be number one challenger to whoever but it’s a long year and at the moment it’s looking good, but it doesn’t mean anything, because it matters in the last three races, not the first three races.”

Vettel and Hamilton revisit the scene of their tense clash from last season when the Ferrari driver hit the rear of his F1 world title rival while under a safety car period before pulling up alongside Hamilton and bashing wheels with the Mercedes driver.