There was a moment in the top three press conference after the Mexican Grand Prix, when Sebastian Vettel bowed his head, face in hands as the reality of title defeat but he was assured by his boss Maurizio Arrivabene that Maranello are united behind the German.
Vettel needed to win the race at Autodrome Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday but he didn’t and that handed Lewis Hamilton his fifth Formula 1 World Championship title.
But Arrivabene insisted the Reds were united in the wake of defeat, and Vettel was in good hands, “You have to be close to him in down moments like this, we do not leave him alone.”
“We must be strong and throw everything behind him, go forward and do not give up. We have proved we are together even if the others are saying otherwise. So let’s keep going,” he added.
A sliver of hope remains for the Scuderia as they have two rounds to reduce the 55-points deficit they have on Mercedes in the constructors’ championship race.
Arrivabene insisted, “We do not give up. The constructors’ championship is still open, we have taken more points in that and do not give up until the end.”
Asked to comment on Hamilton’s achievement, the Italian said, “I do not talk about the others. We closed on them in the last two races, then I leave the judgement to you. Congratulations to Hamilton, but now let’s play for the constructors. It will be difficult but we will not give up.”