Vettel: Ferrari can't be proud of 2016 campaign

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  • In the red: Sebastian Vettel.

    Sebastian Vettel concedes that Ferrari cannot be proud of their 2016 season and must now focus on the “enormous challenge” of getting next year’s car ready under the new regulations.

    The Italian team were hoping to close the gap on Mercedes this season but instead found themselves trailing both the German outfit and Red Bull to lie third in the Constructors’ championship.

    Vettel, a four-time world champion, is fourth in the drivers’ standings heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi and is a mere five points ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

    The German is without a race win in 2016 and his last podium of the season came in September in Monza.

    “I think our performance was actually better than probably the results have shown at times but circumstances weren’t always the best. Nevertheless, we can’t be proud this year because we came into the season wanting to fight for the championship and we did not,” said Vettel.

    “The target for next year is very clear. It’s an enormous challenge for all the teams including ourselves to get the cars ready for next year with so many changes but that’s what we’re here for.”

    Vettel is still hopeful he can claim a first win of the year at Yas Marina Circuit.

    “We’re trying. We’re here to fight until the end and will try to do the best race we can,” he added. “In general it should be a good track for us, I don’t see why not (why he can’t get the win). It will be important to get the car on the right position on the grid and we’ll see what happens.”

    Vettel sealed his first world championship in Abu Dhabi in 2010 in what was a thrilling title showdown between himself, Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber and then Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. Vettel was third in the standings heading into the final race but walked away as the world champion.

    Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will be fighting for the championship in Sunday’s season-decider.

    Asked who he thinks would be a more deserving winner, Vettel said: “I don’t really care, I think we’ll try to do our own race. The main focus for everyone I guess is on the fight for the championship, which is the right thing, but honestly for us it’s not the main focus.”

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