German driver believes he can make late surge to pinch title

SEBASTIAN Vettel believes he can make the “impossible possible” as he bids to stop Lewis Hamilton from winning a third Formula 1 world championship.

Vettel’s victory in Singapore, which was marred by a fanatical spectator who invaded the track, edges him closer to Hamilton in the title race after the Briton sustained his first retirement of the season. Hamilton remains 49 points ahead of Vettel, but the German is still dreaming of a fifth title after he claimed the 42nd victory of his grand prix career to move above Ayrton Senna into third in the all-time list.

“If we have more weekends like this, then yes,” said Vettel when asked if Ferrari can take the fight to Mercedes in the remaining six races. “All we have to do is look after ourselves, maximum attack and then what they do is not in our hands. We have a small chance, maybe we can make the impossible possible, and we’ll definitely go for it.”

The track invader was casually wandering along with his hands in his pockets as Vettel approached him at speeds close to 180mph. “I had to look again because I wasn’t sure whether I had a problem with my eyesight or I saw somebody crossing the track,” said Vettel. “I went on the radio and said, ‘Some guy’s running across the track’. I think I saw him taking a picture. I don’t know. I hope it was a good one at least. I hope it was in focus. I wouldn’t cross the track if I was him. It was crazy.”

Hamilton believes he could have taken the fight to Vettel before the gremlins struck. He said: “In my mind I think I thought I might have a chance to win this race, and then I lost power.”