Vettel: Let's stop kidding, Lewis is playing with us

After trouncing his rivals at the French Grand Prix, including teammate Valtteri Bottas 2.0, Hamilton is well ahead in the championship having won six times and finished second twice in the first eight races of this season. Vettel trails him by 76 points!

Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, with disappointing memories of France still fresh, Vettel told reporters, "Let's stop kidding ourselves, Lewis is playing with us. I risked everything to do the fastest lap, but Lewis did the same lap time on worn and blistering tyres."

The Ferrari driver was referencing the fact that on lap 53 of the race at Paul Ricard when Hamilton had a crack at the fastest lap on aged tyres, his effort only a couple hundredths of a second shy of the pole-winning lap set by Vettel - on fresh rubber - at the same point in the race.

"In the end, we have to find more downforce, then we will be able to use the tyres better. Maybe we should drive on the old Osterreichring, where there aren't many corners," quipped the German.

In his tea's preview of this weekend's grand prix at Red Bull Ring, one he has never won, Vettel added, “It is difficult to get everything right on this track even though it’s a very short lap. It is crucial to get a good qualifying position in order to have a good race."

"It is definitely one I want to win. We have been on the podium in the past, so now we will be back to try and win," promised the four-time F1 World Champion.

After reeling off their successive eighth win and extending their unbeaten streak to ten races, Mercedes now have a lead of 140 points over Ferrari in this year's F1 constructors' championship.

https://www.grandprix247.com/2018/07/01/austrian-grand-prix-verstappen-wins-vettel-leads-mercedes-misery/