• Monaco Grand Prix - Qualifying

Vettel takes blame for missing pole

Sebastian Vettel was just 0.104s off pole position © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Monaco Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Sebastian Vettel

• Teams:
• Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel says he had the pace to take pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix but failed to put the lap together.

Mercedes locked out the front row for the second race in succession, with Nico Rosberg taking his third consecutive pole. Vettel, however, was just 0.104s slower than Rosberg's time and admitted the car had the pace to better the Mercedes but he'd failed to extract the maximum performance from it.

"It was very close," Vettel said. "Mercedes was very quick all weekend. We know they are very quick over one lap but I don't want that to sound like an excuse. There was a bit more than a tenth missing and I think I had that today, but it didn't come together on the last lap. I think the car was very, very good, so if there's anyone to blame I think it was me.

"So, not entirely happy with the last lap but still quite happy that there isn't a Ferrari or Lotus ahead. Tomorrow I think these guys [Mercedes] will have to stop at least as much as us, so therefore I think sitting in third is still a good result and it should be a good opportunity tomorrow to win the race."

Vettel is optimistic for the race having said there was a noticeable change in his car between Thursday's practice sessions and Saturday's running.

"Our performance on Thursday - or my performance - was not great. I wasn't feeling the car, therefore today I was much, much happier. We improved the car a lot, having the extra day yesterday I think helped us. This morning the car felt much more to my liking, I felt much more confident, got in to the rhythm nicely which is much more important around here."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.