Vettel unsure of potential issues on his car after qualifying

Sebastian Vettel has remained unsure on whether or not his Red Bull RB8 suffered from any serious issues during qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when plagued with questions during the post-qualifying press conference. However, the reigning World Champion holds no doubt that the outcome could prove significant for the race.

After enduring a brake-caliper issue during the third and final practice session earlier in the day, Sebastian Vettel remained slower than Lewis Hamilton throughout the entire qualifying hour around the Yas Marina circuit. The German driver nearly brought a premature end to his qualifying session, after lightly tapping the armco on the exit of turn 19. However, once the session came to a conclusion, the reigning World Champion came to a sudden halt on the circuit, sparking speculation over possible mechanical issues on his car.

When asked whether he knew why he was ordered to stop the car before reaching the pit-lane, Sebastian Vettel remained uncertain on his team’s decision, although he acknowledges the fact that the outcome could well have severe implications on tomorrow’s race.

"I don’t know why I had to stop. I was asked to stop, I guess there was some problem," explained Sebastian Vettel after qualifying. "It should not be something major. This morning it was not ideal not getting to run. We didn’t get answers we were hoping for. I’m not entirely happy with my qualifying. The last part was tricky for me. I guess I should have been a bit quicker but overall we can be quite happy. The race pace should be good tomorrow. It is a long race here, lots can happen so I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

This incident is reminiscent of Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix, when the Briton secured pole position and then coasted to a halt on the track on his way back to the pits. After much deliberation and controversy, the Briton was eventually demoted to the back of the grid. Regardless of the outcome, a potential penalty could well be hovering ominously over the German.

Follow me on Twitter - @AndyYoungF1