Sebastian Vettel defended Ferrari’s decision to take on Intermediates during the early stages of Q3, after placing a lowly ninth in Japanese Grand Prix qualifying.
Vettel and Ferrari trailed Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton throughout practice at Suzuka but we looking on course for the second row of the grid until a shower struck late in Q2.
Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen took on Intermediates for the start of Q3 but their rivals opted for Supersofts, with Hamilton setting provisional pole on his first push lap.
Vettel and Raikkonen immediately returned to the pits to take on Supersofts but the German went wide on his first push lap and was left only ninth.
Before he was able to improve the rain returned at an intensified rate, and he was left down in ninth position, while Hamilton’s initial lap proved quick enough to seal top spot.
“If it starts to rain five, six seven minutes earlier we either did a miracle because we’re the only clever ones and if it’s like that [no rain] obviously we’re the only ones looking stupid,” he said.
“Therefore I defend the decision, it’s our decision as a team. Obviously it wasn’t wet enough to start with and then the rain didn’t come, it came later.
“I think we expected that there was more rain coming and obviously it didn’t.
“So then it was the wrong decision but when the conditions are like this then obviously you either get it right or you get it wrong. I’m not blaming anybody.”
Vettel also suggested it would have been “difficult” to beat Mercedes had Q3 taken place in completely dry weather, and played down its opponents’ pace on Softs in Q2.
“I don’t think the harder tyre was any slower, so no [I’m not surprised],” he added.
Raikkonen went on to qualify in fourth position.
"You have two decisions, one is right and one is wrong, so we got it wrong," he said.
"At least it wasn’t a complete disaster, after that. We managed to put one lap in, kind of OK, even with the mistake. I think we got a bit lighter off from it."
