Two-time reigning champion Sebastian Vettel hopes “the best is still yet to come” as he takes a slender 10-point lead over Fernando Alonso into the final two Formula One races of the season.
Vettel can wrap up a third straight title on Sunday at the United States Grand Prix, or at the season-ender a week later in Brazil, and he told the formula1.com website in an interview published on Monday that he hopes to stay ahead until the end.
“I still believe that the driver who deserves it most will be champion. No doubt we are in a very good position now and I hope we do well until the very end to make sure that we deserve the glory,” the Red Bull driver said.
Vettel turned a 39-point deficit against the Spaniard from Ferrari around by winning four of the last five races and managing third right behind his rival at the last race in Abu Dhabi although he had to start from last place on the grid.
Vettel named his first season win in Bahrain and the Abu Dhabi race among the highlights of the year, but hopes that “the best is still yet to come” en route to another title.
The inaugural race on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin marks the 100th career race for Vettel — and wrapping up the title there would make it even sweeter.
“It’s all gone so quickly. One hundred is a big number — one hundred grand prix sounds a lot: one hundred starts, one hundred times surviving the first corner. If I reflect on it, it doesn’t feel so long ago that I broke into Formula One,” he said.
