Sebastian Vettel 🧔conceded Ferrari was “beaten fair and square” in Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying after missing out on pole position to Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull driver dominated qualifying in Sao Paulo and topped every session on his way to posting the fastest time in Q3, with 💮Ferrari’s Vettel ending up 0.123s adrift in second place.

But Vettel had no complaints ab🐟out his effort and ultimately felt Verstappen🦋’s pole effort was “a bit far away” to challenge.

“I was ha💙ving a very good attempt in Q3, went a little bit wide at the final turn,” Vettel said. “But I don’t think I was the only🍰 one.

“I think Max’s time was 🌼a bit far away so I think we have to admit we got beaten fair and sqꦿuare.

“[The balance] was getting better and better. I think we were a bit shy yes🧜terday, more aggressive this morning which was a step forward and theꦺn in qualifying it seemed to go up and get better.

“But I think the track ramped up. It was good to get oဣn the front row.”

After facing accusations from Verstappen in the United States about how Ferrari is usi🔯ng its engine, Vettel joked he found it “suspicious” how competitive the Honda-powered Red Bull was on the straights at Interlagos.

“Obv♔iously there is no progres𓆉s from one race to another, because it’s the same engine I suppose,” he added.

“I don’ꦑt think they have introduced a new spec, so it was a bit of a surprise.

“Usually we’ve seen a lot of qualifying sessions and we were a bit faster than everyone in the straight, losing a bit in the corners, but today we were 🐽as quick or Max and Alex were as fast down the straights as us.

“That’s about it, I don’t know why. I know we didn’t do anything different🥀.”