Hamilton: Tyre wear not that dramatic

Lewis Hamilton says tyre wear around the Istanbul Park is not as bad as many drivers initially feared it would be

Prior to the Turkish GP, Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembrey stated that it could be the worst race for the Italian manufacturer as they were expecting high wear.

However, Friday's cooler temperatures, which saw rain in opening practice and a maximum of just 22 degrees in the afternoon session, meant the wear was not nearly as bad as predicted.

And with temperatures expected to remain low with more rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday, Hamilton is predicting just three, or even as few as two, stops in Sunday's grand prix.

"Quite surprised that they felt very similar to the last race," the McLaren driver told Autosport.

"I thought they'd be a lot worse here, but the long run was probably one of the best practice long runs I've ever had, so it was really good.

"I expect something similar to Shanghai, definitely. Two or three stops, no more than that."

Source: Planet-F1

Vettel: Points gap is not that dramatic

Sebastian Vettel insists the 24-point gap between himself and Mark Webber is not as big as it looks as he bids to become Red Bull's first World Champ

Vettel and his team-mate Webber are just two of the five drivers still involved in this year's title fight with Webber leading the way on 187 points while Vettel is the final driver in the running with 163.

However, the German, who has claimed seven pole positions but only two race wins this season, is adamant the gap is not as big as it may appear.

"Whether I'm not 24, 25 or 30 points behind I still could not care less. The new points system scares people more than necessary," Vettel told the Bild.

"Many are not yet familiar with it and that a win counts for 25 points. If I was eight or nine behind with the old system where there were ten for a victory, then it would all look much less dramatic."

Vettel, though, has had a mixed season, coming for a great deal of cricitism as a result of two high profile accidents.

The first saw him take out his team-mate in Turkey while in Belgium he crashed into McLaren's Jenson Button.

But despite the complaints, which had McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh labeling him a "crash kid", the Red Bull racer says he has not once doubted his ability to win the World title.

"In peace lies strength," he added. "We are not panicking but continue to work quietly.

"I believe I can win the title and that is crucial!"

Source: Planet-F1