Sebastian Vettel says Ferrari has to turn its attention back to Williams and Red Bull after Mercedes dominated qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.
After winning in Singapore last weekend Ferrari and Vettel dropped back behind Mercedes in the pecking order as the world champions locked out the front row with ease. Vettel was beaten to third by Williams driver Valtteri Bottas and he expects a tight fight for the final spot on the podium tomorrow.
Asked about the gap of nine tenths to the front, Vettel replied: "If you are fair it has been between three tenths and eight tenths all season. Some tracks you feel a bit more comfortable, others you don't. Some tracks are maybe coming your way, others are not, but overall it's a very presentable gap. I don't know if they had any margin [of error], I think we had a bit so you can argue about a couple of tenths, but the bottom line is they are back to their competitiveness unfortunately we have seen all year.
"Tomorrow they will be the ones to beat, quite clearly, but we will try everything we can, maybe we are a bit closer but our main rivals are Williams as Red Bull."
Vettel thinks he could have been the best of the rest behind Mercedes had the session not been red-flagged for Daniil Kvyat's late shunt.
"I wasn't happy with Q1 and then in Q2 I wasn't happy with my first set on the medium tyres. In my only, as it turned out, attempt in Q3 the car did come alive and I was much happier and I think the lap time was competitive. In any case I think there was maybe one more position to gain with Bottas in P3 but we didn't have the last run. Anyway, it was fairly close between Williams and ourselves and probably the Red Bulls as well."
Vettel and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen saved the same amount of tyres as the Williams drivers, setting up what should be a close fight for the final spot on the podium. However, the four-time world champion does not think that battle will be won or lost on the run down to Turn 1.
"The race is long. I don't know the weather for tomorrow, it could be anything - we are close to the sea so you never know. I think the expectation is mostly dry. They are not so easy to pass so if we are quicker then we have a chance. For sure one of the first chances we will get will be at the start, the run down to Turn 1 is not that long but you never know. Also with strategy you can try some things so it will be close tomorrow."