It is somewhat ironic that as Sebastian Vettel was giving one of his most lacklustre performances of a largely lacklustre season, countryman, Nico Hulkenberg, who is without a drive for next year, was being voted 'driver of the day' on the official F1 website, despite finishing a distant twelfth.

Speaking at the end of the race, at a time Ferrari is being linked with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, in his first season with the team, has largely out-performed, and certainly out-scored the German, Vettel was in no doubt that things must improve.

"We didn't have the year that we were hoping for... full stop," he told Sky Sports. "I think the reasons are clear, the lessons are clear, now it's up to us to make sure to take them on board.

"As a team we must perform stronger, as an individual I think I can," he continued. "I must do better... I can do better. It wasn't a great year from my side."

Despite taking one win to his teammate's two, two poles to his teammate's six and 240 points to his teammate's 264, the German insists its wasn't all bad.

"I don't think it was as bad as it looks", he said. "There were many small things probably leading to maybe not a great picture in the end.

"But still, I'm the first one to look at myself and if I'm honest, I know that I can do better. That's for sure the target for next year, to do a step forward. And hopefully we get a stronger package as well to fight with Mercedes and Red Bull at the front."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by F1 Yank, 03/12/2019 16:45

"Well, I do believe it was as bad as it looked. Several bad decisions by their race directors as well as the "very dumb" tow discussion during the race at Sochi made Ferrari look like a mid pack team. I hope the best for Ferrari and want them to challenge but wow! They lost soo many points due to major screw ups! What about the Monza Q3 incident?"

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2. Posted by Pavlo, 03/12/2019 11:30

"@Stitch431, klmn - as I wrote in that another thread, Ferrari didn't cheat and didn't have a single extra liter of fuel. Yes, they reported less, but important is that they were allowed to have more."

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3. Posted by 4-Wheel Drifter, 02/12/2019 19:07

"Yes, Sebastian did not have a good year and he is not making any excuses for it. The critics (mostly English) are always on his back. They didn't like him at Red Bull either. But he's a four time WDC. Not that you ever hear it from these condescending *******s. He even took the blame for the disaster that took out both Ferraris. Why Charles can't let it go says a lot about him. No doubt being competitive excuses lots of things but Seb has alwys been competitive and also gracious and grown up about racing. If the boneheads at Ferrari can give him a car that suits him, he'll be winning again. And his many detractors will be arguing that he's cheating or lucky."

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4. Posted by klmn, 02/12/2019 10:42

"Poor Vettel had to sqve fuel and Leclerc got an extra 4 liters .
Ferrari are just not honest."

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5. Posted by Stitch431, 02/12/2019 9:03

"Hopefully this time without obvious cheating and the FIA looking the other way... Somehow Masi seems to be an Italian name"

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Vettel: I must do better... I can do better

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