Sebastian Vettel concedes Mercedes are the team to beat in Germany

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel says Mercedes are the “big favourites” for the German Grand Prix this weekend. The troubled four-time world champion is essentially out of the title race after a number of high-profile errors this season – the last of which came at the British Grand Prix where he ran into the back of Max Verstappen and finished outside the points.

He is currently fourth in the championship, exactly 100 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton, and has yet to win a race this year. Vettel will head to his home race at Hockenheim this weekend, at the venue where his downward spiral started last year.

He was leading the race but late on made an unforced error in the stadium section of the circuit to crash out, handing the title lead to Hamilton, and the Ferrari man has never quite recovered. And, after team boss Mattia Binotto said there would be no upgrades to the car ahead of this weekend, Vettel admits Mercedes are likely to win the race.

“You should never say never, and I’ll give everything as always, but realistically Mercedes is the big favourite,” he said.

“I am not feeling the rear of the car at the moment, and for me that means I am missing confidence.” Vettel, though, insists that last year’s error will be at the back of his mind.

“I was extremely angry at myself but that’s forgotten now,” the German added. Actually, if I see it today, the way I dug into the gravel and then punched the steering wheel so furiously, I have to smile. “I made a small mistake with big consequences.”

Vettel can be backed at 11.00 to win the German Grand Prix, while Hamilton is the favourite at 1.67.