Mercedes locked out the front row again in qualifying at Italian GP
Monday 5 September 2016 09:02, UK
Sebastian Vettel has admitted that Mercedes are in a "world of their own" after Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg finished on top in qualifying again at the Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton claimed the 13th pole for Mercedes in 14 Grands Prix this season, while Vettel will start third at Monza, alongside team-mate Kimi Raikkonen on the second row.
Ferrari, armed with an upgraded engine, were hoping to close the gap on Mercedes at their home GP this weekend, but there was more than eight tenths of a second between Vettel and Hamilton.
"It looks like they are in a world of their own," said Vettel. "We are further behind than we were last year.
"In qualifying Mercedes seem capable of turning it up a little bit more. We are just not quick enough. The combination is car and engine and we are a little bit behind on both."
Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne had earlier in the day admitted the team hadn't hit the targets they'd set themselves, but Vettel was quick to praise Mercedes for their dominance, rather than blaming his own team for underperformance.
"The way to look at it isn't that we are getting smashed by Mercedes," he said. "The way to look at it first of all is to say they are doing a very good job.
"Both drivers are hardly making any mistakes. They are clean every weekend. If we can be behind that then that is a positive because the level is very high. But obviously it is not satisfying for us.
"We aim for the highest in the race, otherwise what is the point in going to the grid, but we have to be realistic and they are the favourites."
While Vettel's team-mate Raikkonen admitted he expected Mercedes to perform as strongly as they have so far in Monza.
"The car is behaving as well as we can make it work," he said. "I thought they would be very strong here. In Spa they may have had some issues. Our car is behaving as well as Spa."
