Vettel bullish despite errors

Date published : 03 Sep 2010 - 16:30:29

Sebastian Vettel is convinced he can still be Formula One world champion this season despite his many mistakes.

Vettel has thrown away scores of points during the course of the year, with his latest indiscretion in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. In gunning for Jenson Button in second, Vettel lost control of his Red Bull and speared into the side of the Briton's McLaren.

Vettel told Auto Bild Motorsport: "In Hungary I slept during the safety car and made a mistake, and again when I lost the car when overtaking Jenson. But I am open and honest enough to admit that. I'm not proud of it. I do not worry about me. I know how good we are, but I want the title like nothing else this year."

The incident in Belgium prompted Button to suggest Vettel was making too many errors to be a title contender, with the German now 31 points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel is ready to concede he has blown it on occasion this season, but he firmly has belief in his ability, and that all will come good in the end.

He added: "Formula One is a great show, and if all goes well, you're the greatest. But if you make an error, and some people simply do not understand exactly the reasons why, then you very quickly become the idiot. The most important thing is I know truth.

"But you can't change anything except to try and ensure it doesn't happen again. In the end, making a mistake makes you a better driver.

"I am someone who, after sleeping on things for a night, can look at everything positively."

It is why the 23-year-old still feels he can put behind him all the errors and pip Hamilton and team-mate Mark Webber to the crown.

"In the first 13 races not everything has gone smoothly, but I am only 31 points behind," added Vettel. "We are a team, and although we have had big problems, we have still scored many points. That's not because we have been lucky, but because our package is extremely strong."