Vettel: I don't think a sports shrink can help me

Vettel has made some glaring mistakes this season which has turned an early championship lead into a deficit of 40-points, his crash while leading his home German Grand Prix cost him 25 points and may well have been the proverbial final nail...

Asked by Auto Bild if he would seek the assistance of a sports psychologist, Vettel replied, "I think the concept is very interesting but I have not met the right person who I believe can help me with this."

"I've already researched this a bit, so I have not ignored the topic. When you have stress, you need a balance. I have developed things that work for me and I have enough self-discipline, so as not to confuse myself."

Sports shrinks are not a new idea to Formula 1, Romain Grosjean turned to a sports psychologist for help when his early F1 career nosedived, while Nico Rosberg is said to have employed a 'mental coach' when he won the title in 2016.

Right now Vettel's job at hand is to outscore title favourite Lewis Hamilton in the next six races, in other words, he needs a perfect run to overcome his rival's remarkable form coupled to Mercedes consistency.

It is a big ask but Vettel is undeterred, "In Formula 1, it's about putting together a puzzle. It's important that you imagine the finished puzzle and have it as your target, but you must not get distracted while building it."

"So the goal is to get the maximum from every race which in the end will benefit the world championship," insisted Vettel.

Driving for Ferrari, the sport's most visible team is a well-known pressure cooker job and right now there is steam seething out the pot as Maranello undergoes another massive management transformation, amid the weight of a battle for this year's title which is on the verge of slipping away unless something drastic occurs in the run to the season finale.

Vettel acknowledged, "Of course I feel the pressure, but most of the time it is the pressure I put on myself. If you know what you are capable of achieving but fail to reach the goal then, of course, you are not satisfied."

Media criticism, particularly in Italy after his Hockenheim faux pas, has been vociferous, but Vettel is unconcerned stands resolute, "Honestly, in my spare time, I hardly read articles about Formula 1. I will rather read about football."

"I do not let public criticism get to me which therefore saves me from dealing with it. But generally, my motto is: you're never as good and you're never as bad as people say," added Vettel who will be looking to add to his five wins this season on Sunday, in Sochi.