FORMULA ONE experts have taken a dim view on four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel who has endured a nightmare Japanese Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver - trying to close a 50 point gap to Lewis Hamilton in the championship - completed his worst qualifying session of the season on Saturday after making an error on his only dry lap.

He then started the race on Sunday from eighth and looked to have rediscovered his form after storming up four spots in the opening stages, before closing in on Max Verstappen in third.

But a desperate move at Spoon Curve moments later saw him make contact with the Red Bull driver and undo all his progress.

His spin saw him drop to 19th and virtually hand a fifth world title to Lewis Hamilton, who was enjoying a comfortable race at the front of the pack.

“I cannot believe the mistakes from Vettel and the cracks that are appearing,” former driver Paul Di Resta said after the crash.

“It was so unnecessary from Vettel. Didn’t his engineer tell him that Verstappen had a penalty to serve?” added Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz.

Before the race, 1996 world champion Damon Hill said: “Vettel is under pressure and it is showing in his driving.”

Vettel recovered in the race to sixth, but is now 67 points behind Hamilton in the championship. No driver in F1 history has failed to win the title from that position.

Vettel after the race admitted he was aware Verstappen had to serve a penalty when he made his bold move. He didn’t accept blame for the incident, instead pointing the finger at the Red Bull driver.

“With that outcome, you would do different because in hindsight it’s easy. But the gap was there, his battery was clipping, I was boosting, I saved my battery, I had more speed, I would make the corner, I was side by side, but he didn’t give enough room and then we touched,” he told Sky F1.

“I had the inside but as soon as he realises somebody is close to him he tries to, in my opinion, push when he shouldn’t push anymore.”