Sebastian Vettel says he is pleased to have “serꩵved the team” and help Ferrari Formula 1 teammate Charles Leclerc win the Belgian Grand Prix by holding up Lewis Hamilton.

Vettel s🔥pent a brief spell in the lead of the race after Ferrari opted 💟to stop him earlier than his rivals. Despite showing strong initial pace on Mediums, the German’s pace dropped off and he was ultimately told to let Leclerc past.

Having dropped back down to second place, Vettel was able to delay H🦩amilton’s charge for a few laps as he kept the Mercedes driver behind, enabling Leclerc to open up some breathing space.

“Well for the team yes🔥 [I’m happy], but for myself I’m obviou꧃sly not happy,” Vettel explained after the race.

“I didn’t have the pace ultimately. I was struggling to stay on top of the tyres which normally is not a proble𒐪m at all. So it was a tough r🏅ace.

“Obviously from some point onwards, from the first lap onwards, it was clear w♌e won’t be in the fight. So all I could do by then was serve the team.

“I was struggling in the corners so that allowed him to get close and then I couldn’t hold him off for a very long 📖time.

“I tried to obviously make him lo🔥se time in order to give Charles a cushion. In the end it wa❀s just enough, so did the job.”

Hamilton reduced a six-second deficit to Leclerc in the closing stages but ultimately ran out of laps♚ to put in a serious challeng🐈e for victory as he trailed the Monegasque driver home by less than a second at the chequered flag.

Leclerc was quick to praise Vettel’s contribution💮, saying: “Seb has been very nice an🥂d without him I think it would have been a lot more difficult to win this race so thanks to him.”