That Sebastian Vettel does not want to lose points to Lewis Hamilton is a given. What was impressive at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was just how committed he is to the task. Damage to the front wing on lap one was a major setback, coming back to finish fourth a huge recovery and the manner he achieved it a statement of intent. Having chased down and overtaken his team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, and still looking for a podium place, he saw passing the two Force Indias of Sergio Pérez and Esteban Ocon as paramount. Ocon was first and Vettel’s lunge down the inside of turn one, on the dirty line, was a breathtaking piece of bravado. He was losing downforce in the slipstream and was sliding – a risky manoeuvre but he made it stick and then scythed past Pérez on the final chicane. As damage limitation goes it was a masterclass. But what really stood out was his determination not to play the percentages. He knows he is in a nip-and-tuck fight with Hamilton for the championship and there was a chance a move could end his race but he went for it anyway. “Full risk, full on,” he said. “I wanted to get past, full stop.” Which is as good an attitude as can be hoped for from a title contender.
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