Although the chances are very slim, Sebastian Vettel hasn't given up on title entirely.

Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, saw Sebastian Vettel not only lose further ground to Lewis Hamilton, who is now 59 points ahead, but Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who now has an 11 point cushion.

"It's not done until it's done," insisted Vettel, who has come from behind before, most notably in 2010. "The chance is there and what kind of racing driver would I be if I stopped believing?

"Of course I know it's difficult because the opponent is very strong," he admitted, "but you have to keep believing otherwise it's pointless rocking up and trying to fight. Being realistic I think it will be very, very difficult but who knows what's going to happen? We have to do our thing and that's the maximum we can do. Everything else is not in our hands, it's probably in their hands."

Team boss Maurizio Arrivabene hasn't given up on the title entirely either, though he realises it would need the intervention of Lady Luck.

"If you win the lottery, you become a millionaire," he said, when asked if Vettel still has a chance of claiming a fifth title this year. "To win the lottery you need to be lucky. So if we are lucky, yes. But we need to be really lucky."