Sebastian Vettel will battle mechanical problems on Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix as he tries to become the youngest winner of four successive Formula One world titles.
Vettel, 26, will join Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio as only the third driver with four straight if he wins at Suzuka and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes outside the top eight.
The race will be preceded by a minute’s silence after Friday’s death of former reserve driver Maria de Villota, 33, a year after suffering serious head injuries in testing.
Vettel has won the past four races and eight out of 14 this season to open up a 77-point lead in the championship with five GPs remaining.
But the German’s bid for a fifth straight pole at Suzuka was hit by his speed-boosting Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) failing in qualifying.
He was still second quickest behind retiring teammate Mark Webber, starting from the front of the grid for the first time this season.
Red Bull’s engineers were working overtime to fix the unidentified KERS problem, but Vettel admitted he might have to do without it.
“We have to find the issue and solve it,” said Vettel. “That’s plan A. If that doesn’t work, we have to race without KERS.”
Vettel will not get any favours from Webber, who was incensed by the German earlier this year when he ignored team orders and passed him to win in Malaysia.
“He’ll do his race tomorrow and I’ll do my race,” said Webber, looking to go out on a high.
“Let’s see how it’s looking at the end of the race. In general, we’ll be there for ourselves tomorrow.”.
Lewis Hamilton will start third but Alonso, hoping to put Vettel’s celebrations on ice, will fire up his Ferrari from eighth.
Vettel’s victory this year appears a foregone conclusion with races still to be held in India, Abu Dhabi, the United States and Brazil.
He is set to draw level with Alain Prost with his fourth title, and will be one off Fangio’s haul of five compiled in the 1950s.
He will be only one championship from Schumacher’s five straight won with Ferrari in the 2000s. His fellow German retired for the second time last year with a record seven titles.
