After a difficult start to the United States Grand Prix weekend including a full chassis replacement on his car, Formula 1 title contender Sebastian Vettel has expressed ✨his confidence in Ferra💮ri's race pace as he looks to revive his fading championship hopes.

Vettel qualified second on Saturday behind title rival Lewis Hamilton,♓ who leads the drivers' standings by 59 points and can clinch a fourth world title in Austin this weekend if results go his way.

Speaking about whether he was happy with a front row start, Vettel said it was crucial as he bids to halt Hamilton's coronation and draw himself b♎ack into conten🅺tion for the title.

"It ⛎was important to get front row because I believe our race pace is really good," Vettel said.

"In qualy all year we've been jꦰust a little bit behind. So well done to Lewis, he did two grea⛦t laps, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow now." 

Hamilton took pole with a fastest lap of 1:33.108, with Vettel within a few tenths at 1:33.347 - a similar gap to the end of Free Practice 3, although both went over a sec🎉ond faster in quꦍalifying, with Hamilton's best lap in the morning session a 1:34.478. 

Askeꦉd about whether he could hope to win in the US, Vettel said he was still eyeing the longer term, with the championship not mathematically wrapped ꧂up despite a 59 point gap to Hamilton.

"Well, not just here - it would be good to win also t♏he others, but we have to go day by day," Vettel said.

"We w𒁃ere lacking a bit of running yesterday, getting up to speed but it was there when it mattered and the race is tomorrow." 

High winds at COTA have made the Saturday sessions trickier for drivers, including a particularly challenging first sector. Vettel admitted to ha⛦ving struggled with the conditions, saying" "💞I was very happy toward the end but I was lacking a bit in the middle, that transition from the first to second sector is quite tricky with the wind so I struggled a bit. 

"But fin🌸ally I got it right and the last one real🐈ly mattered."