• Singapore Grand Prix

It would have been too risky to pass Alonso - Vettel

ESPNF1 Staff
September 26, 2010 « Heidfeld confident he will stay in F1 next year | »
Sebastian Vettel never got close enough to pass Fernando Alonso safely © Getty Images
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Sebastian Vettel has said it would have been too risky to attempt an overtaking manoeuvre on Fernando Alonso to take the lead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Vettel spent the whole of the 61 lap race within four seconds of the back of the Ferrari but said he was keeping the championship at the back of his mind as he looked for a way past.

"I was pushing him [Alonso] as hard as I could to try and make him make a mistake because, obviously, it is difficult to overtake here," said Vettel. "But it would have been too risky, and in the end we got away with second and good points. The most important thing is that the car was quick and competitive all weekend. We were missing a bit yesterday [in qualifying] and that was probably what was missing today. We had a good start. We got some good results in the drivers' championship and the title race is still open."

Red Bull decided to pit Vettel at the same time as Alonso, effectively nullifying the battle at the front and preventing him putting in a quick lap to try and get past using strategy. However, Vettel said the decision to pit had been made due to the state of the tyres and that he actually scuppered his own chances when he tried to pull away from the pit box in second gear.

"Towards the end of the first stint the soft tyres were pretty much at the end of their life and the car was sliding a lot," he said. "We came in on the same lap and unfortunately I made a little mistake but I think it would have been very close. But that is the story of the whole race."

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