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#969 2917 Italian Grand Prix

2023-01-11 00:00

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#2017, Fulvio Conti, Translated by Margherita Urpi,

#969 2917 Italian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel, fresh from renewing his contract with Ferrari until 2020, is ready for the Italian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver enters the thirtee

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Sebastian Vettel, fresh from renewing his contract with Ferrari until 2020, is ready for the Italian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver enters the thirteenth race of the F1 World Championship season with a 7-point lead over Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes. It's been five years since a Ferrari led the World Championship before the home race.

 

"The form shown at Spa is real, and so is the speed displayed in the race. The entire weekend was positive, without issues and with improvements on all fronts. From tomorrow, we'll see how many people show up and fill the stands. Today, walking through the paddock, you meet a lot of people. There will surely be more than in other races".

 

Sebastian Vettel states, referring back to the Belgian Grand Prix:

 

"I believe you always race to win, and that's the priority even if you are aware of what you're doing, but it's not like I held back in Spa. I battled with him (Hamilton) throughout the race, decided by tenths. I enjoyed it a lot, but I would have liked to be on the top step of the podium. Still, I learned something that might come in handy if it happens again. In hindsight, we're all wiser".

 

He adds, referring to his efforts to pass the Mercedes driver:

 

"This is a different track where there's more opportunity to overtake. It's said to be more suitable for Mercedes, but we'll do our best to win. There will be a different atmosphere, with a lot of support. Here, you feel all the love from the fans, and we want to do something to repay them".

 

Asked whether he would prefer to win a World Championship with Ferrari or two with another team, the German driver responds with a smile:

 

"I am not with another team. My priority is to win with Ferrari. I've been very fortunate in the past. Success is like a drug; you want to experience it again. You want to feel that sensation of standing on the top step of the podium, and if you manage to do it at the end of the championship, it's even better. I've been missing it for some time, and I want to try it again. I don't know what feeling I would have with Ferrari, and that's why I want to experience it".

 

Continuing, he asks the journalist:

 

"Have you ever driven a Ferrari? Simply sitting in a Ferrari is something special. It's one of the most beautiful cars on the planet. It's something unique. The feeling you get is not the same as when you get into another beautiful car: when the engine starts, it's special. That's why those who love cars, those who are passionate about racing, fall in love with this car. Ask your editor to buy you one".

 

Returning to the Belgian Grand Prix and the restart after the Safety Car, the German states that he didn't think about what happened in Baku:

 

"I tried to restart as quickly as possible. Everyone has their style and tries to do their best. I didn't think about Baku, only about staying as close as possible and making a good start".

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And about his relationship with Monza, the track where he won his first Grand Prix driving for Toro Rosso, he recalls:

 

"It's a special circuit, a special place for me. It's been a long time, but it's still a very strong feeling. We had the Ferrari engine in our Toro Rosso. Getting pole and winning the race the way we did was special. Even today, walking through the track, some images came back to me. I thought about the work done with the race engineer who is the same today: Riccardo Adami. This is a memory we share, and this place is one of the most special for me".

 

Vettel, then, in response to the usual question about possible team orders, says:

 

"I and Kimi compete throughout the year. Some say that in Hungary, he protected me, but if you talk to him, he'll tell you that he didn't give me anything, and if he had the chance to pass me, he would have tried because I would have done the same. As teammates, we race for the same position, and we go all out, and then we see what happens. These scenarios are different from how they are perceived from the outside".

 

Regarding the reliability of the SF70H, he adds:

 

"It went well. We try to push the limit as much as possible, but we're not in the position we would like. In Hungary, there was some problem with the steering, but I managed to save the car, and I didn't risk retiring".

 

On the issue of oil consumption, with Mercedes introducing the latest evolution of its engine at Spa, and not being subject to the new lubricant consumption limit that comes into effect from Monza, he responds:

 

"I think it has always been in their program. Whether we tried to play a trick, I don't know. As far as we are concerned, we are following our schedule. We don't have a new engine for this weekend".

 

At the same time, Lewis Hamilton arrives in Monza combative and assures that he doesn't feel like he's in the enemy's lair:

 

"It's been too long since I've seen Vettel smile: I want to wipe that expression off his face".

 

Even though a barrage of boos greeted him when he appeared from the pits, facing a sea of fans gathered for the Ferrari drivers.

 

"It happened many years ago, but in the last four or five years, I have always been well-received, like at home. I love this place, half of the fans are Ferrari fans, and they all tell me: You must come to us. I just respond with thanks; it's a compliment. I came here to win and reduce the advantage that Sebastian Vettel has had since the beginning of the year".

 

For the English Mercedes driver, Vettel's contract renewal with Ferrari has not changed his future:

 

"I plan to extend with my team. I still have a year left on my contract, there's no rush, but I've made it clear that I don't want to consider other options. In fact, Vettel's renewal will make my decision even easier for the five or six years I have left as a driver. I work in the same way, and the team gives me the best opportunities. It's been a long season where I've given 100%, but the team wants to win both championships, and I hope they give both me and Bottas the opportunity to do so".

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After the oil, the poison. The F1 World Championship arrives in Monza, and the two leaders of the standings begin the race even before turning on the engine. Lewis Hamilton inaugurates the psychological warfare. The British Mercedes driver, compared to his colleague Vettel, is certainly more inclined to a brawl, to a physical confrontation (even if only verbal). And perhaps for this reason, his blow is well-aimed. During a press conference, British journalists ask if, now that Räikkönen and Vettel have signed with Marchionne, closing off any chance for him to move to Ferrari, he finally intends to renew his contract with Mercedes. The British driver, ineffable, flips the question, alluding explicitly to a decidedly interesting background.

 

"Toto Wolff is very open with me; he tells me everything, even who calls him applying for my place or the one next to mine. And it's very interesting to find out who called. And also to see what happened afterward, the maneuvers that followed those phone calls. Like Vettel's signing with Ferrari, for example. I don't know if everyone in the paddock expected him to renew for three years".

 

In fact, before the situation was resolved, it was known that Vettel was aiming for a one-year contract. In other words, Sebastian's choice to stay in Maranello until 2020 is a fallback, a plan B towards which the German turned once plan A, which involved his transfer to Mercedes, failed. But Mercedes, Hamilton continues his reconstruction, had already chosen him. A choice, moreover, reciprocated.

 

"I had already decided to renew with the team for a while, which we will do now, in the second part of the season or directly at the end, there's no rush".

 

Whether the reconstruction is true or not, what matters is that Hamilton felt the need to explicitly state it in a press conference. This manifestly shows the intention, or worse, the need to destabilize the Ferrari environment. An environment, it must be said, already engaged in processing the blow dealt by Mercedes in Spa last week when the Anglo-German team, with a surprising move, homologated the last engine available for this season, the day before the FIA limitation on the use of oil as fuel came into effect. A delicate issue (Mercedes, from now on, can effectively use a more powerful engine, albeit slightly) that Vettel has treated with great caution, trying to appear as serene as possible.

 

"I am quite convinced that the form we saw in Spa is the real one. That's why I'm optimistic. As for the oil issue and the ban introduced by the Federation after Spa, it's something we knew for a long time. We made our evaluations, and what Mercedes has done hasn’t changed our plans. We are happy like this".

 

Ferrari will work as much as possible on the development of the fourth engine - trying to recover elsewhere what was lost on the oil combustion front - and will likely bring it to the track between Sepang and Suzuka; two circuits where the engine will play a key role in what the strategists in Maranello consider the decisive phase of the season. In the meantime, free practice begins in Monza, where on Sunday, September 3, 2017, the Italian Grand Prix is scheduled. The Mercedes are the fastest in both sessions. In the morning session, Lewis Hamilton (1'21"537) is 0.4 seconds ahead of his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, and one second ahead of the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen. In the afternoon, the two Mercedes swap positions while the constants are the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen always chasing, respectively in third and fourth positions. However, the gaps have significantly reduced compared to the first sessions. Valtteri Bottas (1'21"406) is the fastest ahead of Lewis Hamilton, just 0.056 seconds behind. Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen follow. Fifth and sixth times, more than a second behind Valtteri Bottas, for the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen: both will start with a penalty, a loss of 20 and 15 positions on the starting grid, for changing some engine components. For the same reason, in addition to the Red Bulls, Carlos Sainz Jr. (Toro Rosso) and Fernando Alonso (McLaren-Honda) will be penalized with the loss of 10 and 35 positions, respectively, with Alonso starting at the back of the grid.

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"There are many positive feelings. We have to improve here and there, and tomorrow will be even better".

 

This is Sebastian Vettel's comment at the end of the free practice for the Italian Grand Prix.

 

"As for the first part, we used the soft tires and I'm not completely satisfied. This is historically a one-stop race; we already had an idea, but today was already a surprise because there was no rain that we expected, so we'll see. It's not completely the day we wanted in dry conditions due to the fluctuating afternoon, but all in all, we should have enough data to examine, and tomorrow will be better".

 

And Kimi Räikkönen adds:

 

"It hasn't been a very simple day, we don't know why. It wasn't easy to put the car in the situation we wanted. There's work to do tomorrow; if we can do the things we want, we'll be able to go faster. Can we fight with the Mercedes? I don't know, I don't know how to answer. I didn't know yesterday, I don't know today, and I won't know before the race. Maybe tomorrow, after qualifying, we'll have a clearer picture".

 

Who hides on the track, who off. The eve of the Italian Grand Prix is full of misleading information and optical illusions. Typical of Formula 1, when the World Championship reaches its decisive moments. The most explicit of all is Maurizio Arrivabene, the team principal of Ferrari, who, at the end of the day, puts on the darkest face possible and delivers a verdict too clear to seem entirely credible:

 

"The truth is that here the favorites are those of Mercedes".

 

Certainly, logical arguments are not lacking to support the thesis: notoriously, fast, engine-oriented tracks favor Mercedes over Ferrari, which instead prefers city-style circuits like Monte Carlo or Hungaroring. But, well, the stopwatch says different things: Mercedes has the fastest car, but at the end of the practices, both Ferrari drivers say they can improve their times (already very good: we're talking about just over a tenth of a second behind Mercedes). However, the idea of the Maranello team is to shift the weight of the forecast's favor to the opponent's side. Increase the pressure. And so does Vettel:

 

"This is an engine circuit. And the engine has been their strength in the last two years. Today they were fast in every condition. Let's see what we can do tomorrow".

 

The German says that on this occasion, he will wear a helmet with the Italian tricolor, perhaps also to respond to the criticisms of those who had frowned at the sight of the German flag printed on the celebratory cap of Ferrari's 70th anniversary, shown at the Thursday afternoon press conference. On the other side, Lewis Hamilton, busy writing a poem for Lady D, England's Rose:

 

"The day we lost our Nations Rose, tears we cried like rivers flowed. The earth stood still as we laid her to rest…"

 

Well, he's not playing along. He takes the time sheet and shakes his head.

 

"They are very close, I expect a race similar to Spa".

 

When Ferrari and Mercedes showed similar performances. 

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Mercedes technicians seem more optimistic than their driver; according to them, the performances should be those seen on Friday, but Ferrari has shown several times this year that it can make a significant leap between Friday and Saturday. An objective look suggests that, on the one hand, Mercedes may actually be hiding a bit. And that, in any case, Ferrari has greatly reduced the gap from the competition on fast tracks. Much will also depend on the weather conditions. Sunday's race should take place in dry conditions. But rain is expected for qualifying. And Monza in the rain is one of the most beautiful memories in Sebastian Vettel's family album, who in 2008, under a legendary downpour, showed the world his talent by winning with a Toro Rosso. Perhaps for this reason, yesterday, looking at the clouds approaching the circuit, Sebastian smiled.

 

"We can't even measure pride. I was here last year, and I remember exactly what kind of atmosphere there was; it changed from night to day. The guys are so motivated, and the fact that we've confirmed the two drivers at least gives a very clear perspective to the team. We've done a great job in the last twelve months to improve the car; we're glad that the car we have on the track today is on par with Mercedes. We'll see it in the race. I don't make predictions, the worst thing I could do, but technically the car is there, then we'll see".

 

These are the words of Ferrari's president, Sergio Marchionne, upon arriving in Monza.

 

"We're working with both Sebastian and Kimi, and the most interesting and encouraging thing, regarding this year's season, is that we have a development plan for the car for the rest of the year. It's not just the race, and this is the most difficult for us of those that are left, but if we look at the development of the car through the close of the championship at the end of the year, we have a series of interventions, both from the engine and aerodynamics perspective, that will further improve the car. So good things for this season that establish a solid foundation for 2018, happier than this we can't be. I am really happy, I say it honestly, even though last Sunday we didn't get where we wanted to, but we took a huge step forward".

 

On Saturday, September 2, 2017, rain soaked the Monza circuit, leading the race officials to postpone the start of the session by almost three-quarters of an hour, limiting it to just 16 minutes. Only seven drivers set valid times, with Felipe Massa's Williams leading his teammate Lance Stroll by 0.2 seconds. Nico Hülkenberg claimed the third spot, more than 0.8 seconds adrift. The other thirteen drivers only completed installation laps. Rain continued to fall heavily at the beginning of qualifying. Despite immediate attempts by the drivers to hit the track, Valtteri Bottas struggled with aquaplaning on the straight. Shortly after Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time, Romain Grosjean spun and hit the barriers on the main straight due to water. The car was damaged, but the driver was unharmed. The session was red-flagged. The situation didn't improve until 4:30 p.m., when the race officials decided to resume the session at 4:40 p.m., having just over 13 minutes left in Q1. All drivers quickly returned to the track, using Full Wet tires. Max Verstappen was the first to set a valid time and later opted to switch to Wet Intermediate tires, a choice not followed by all other drivers as the competitiveness of Wet and Intermediate tires was similar. Kimi Räikkönen narrowly avoided a collision with Sergio Pérez while exiting the pits. At the end of the session, Valtteri Bottas was the fastest, followed by Lewis Hamilton. In addition to Romain Grosjean, the other Haas of Kevin Magnussen, as well as Jolyon Palmer and the two Saubers, were eliminated. The French Haas driver didn't have a sufficient time for qualification but was allowed to start by the stewards. His car also had a gearbox replacement, theoretically resulting in a five-place grid penalty. In the second phase, rain was again intense, but some drivers chose to qualify with Intermediate tires, struggling to get the tires up to temperature. The battle, both at the top and to avoid elimination, was intense, as all drivers remained on track continuously, hoping for an improvement in weather conditions. Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time, while Sergio Pérez, Nico Hülkenberg, Fernando Alonso, and the two Toro Rosso drivers were eliminated. In the final phase, rain was still intense. However, some drivers immediately stopped to switch to Full Wet tires, a choice made by the Red Bull Racing drivers. Verstappen set the fastest time, followed by Kimi Räikkönen and Esteban Ocon. 

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Shortly after, Daniel Ricciardo moved up to second place. Later, Lewis Hamilton took the lead in the time standings, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, while the two Ferrari drivers struggled, lagging far behind. Daniel Ricciardo reclaimed the top spot, but shortly after, Lewis Hamilton managed to improve the reference time. In the final minutes, Max Verstappen took the lead in the time standings, but his time was surpassed on the last attempt by Lewis Hamilton. The British driver secured pole position, setting a new absolute record for a driver's pole positions. The previous record (68 pole positions) was achieved by Michael Schumacher at the 2006 French Grand Prix. Due to penalties for the two Red Bulls, Lance Stroll started on the front row, while Esteban Ocon was third, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and the two Ferraris of Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel. Lance Stroll became the youngest driver in the history of the World Championship to start on the front row. The first Canadian driver to qualify in second place was Jacques Villeneuve at the same Monza track in 1998. After the practice sessions, McLaren replaced the engine of Stoffel Vandoorne's car, resulting in a 25-place grid penalty. The issue was related to the MGU-K, but the limited time available and the parc fermé regulations led the technicians to replace the entire power unit. The gearbox on Sergio Pérez's Force India was also replaced, leading to a 5-place grid penalty for the Mexican driver. This meant that 9 out of 20 drivers were penalized on the starting grid. The worst qualifying of the season came at the least opportune time: at Monza, in front of the home crowd, on the day of the celebration of Ferrari's 70th anniversary, and especially on the eve of the most delicate race, on the circuit that, according to Sergio Marchionne:

 

"Is, among the remaining ones, the most challenging for our car".

 

A full-blown shipwreck for the two Ferraris. If nothing else, it was due to the heavy rain that fell on Monza while Vettel and Räikkönen struggled through the once-friendly curves of the park's racetrack. In the morning, the downpour had severely tested the embarrassing (non) draining asphalt that had been paved on the track in the summer, and the Federation was forced to cancel the morning free practice sessions. So when - with a delay of two and a half hours - the qualifying rounds finally started, no one, neither in the stands nor in the Maranello team's boxes, had the slightest idea of the sporting catastrophe about to befall the team. As soon as the Full Wet Pirelli tires were mounted, the surprising SF70H, which has brought so much joy to fans this year, turned into an unmanageable machine. It ended up not only being surpassed by the two Mercedes but also by the two Red Bulls (which, fortunately for Ferrari, will start from the back due to a penalty), the Williams of rookie Lance Stroll, and the Force India of the talented yet unknown Esteban Ocon. Seventh place for Räikkönen, eighth for Vettel. In short, a little disaster. On which Lewis Hamilton, a true cannibal, enjoyed inflicting. Prohibitive weather conditions exhilarate him. Poor visibility and heavy rain are his favorite ingredients, especially on a fast circuit like this, and his Mercedes responds to commands like it perhaps hadn't all year. Just look at him to understand that Vettel struggles with his Ferrari as much as he savors every single moment of a perfect afternoon. A state of grace that translated into incredible numbers: a record pole (beating Schumacher's) snatched with a 1.4-second advantage over Max Verstappen; his teammate left behind by 2.2 seconds; and his championship rival trailing by 2.5 seconds.

 

"We couldn't get the heavy rain tires up to temperature for any reason".

 

That's the succinct explanation given by the Maranello team after the qualifiers. And it's probably true (and not good news for the upcoming autumn season, full of often wet races like Singapore, Sepang, Suzuka, Austin, and Interlagos). Fortunately, Sunday should be sunny. And Ferrari should be able to limit the damage without too many problems. With the two Red Bulls penalized, the minimum result for Vettel (who, despite starting from behind, can rely on his teammate's loyalty at this stage of the season) can only be the podium. Not exactly what Sergio Marchionne hoped for when he appeared genuinely optimistic on Saturday morning:

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"At Spa, we were very close, and now we can say we are on par with Mercedes".

 

After clarifying some strategic aspects of FCA (confirmed spin-off of Magneti Marelli; postponement of the Maserati-Alfa Romeo spin-off to another time; denial of offers from China), Marchionne wanted to reassure the fans:

 

"From now until the end of the season, we have a series of interventions planned that will further improve the car in terms of engine and aerodynamics".

 

Disheartened, at the end of the qualifiers, Sebastian Vettel admits:

 

"It wasn't our day; in the ten minutes before, we seemed okay, but then it went like this. Surely we are very behind; in the end, we didn't have the same grip as the others, but I don't know the reason. We'll see what we can do tomorrow; I think we all have little grip. No one expected so much rain today".

 

However, the German driver remains confident for the race.

 

"I know we have a competitive car; it's not ideal to start from this position, but we can't change today's result. We are all disappointed, but tomorrow we'll have another opportunity, and anything can happen. We'll have to clear our heads; we'll have a lot of support from the stands, and I'm confident we can do better".

 

While Lewis Hamilton rejoices:

 

"It's fantastic to beat this record on such a historic circuit and in such a beautiful country. Tonight, I'll celebrate by eating pasta".

 

The Mercedes driver also sends a thought to the audience:

 

"Italy, I love you, and even though we are on Ferrari's turf, I really appreciated your support".

 

On Sunday, September 3, 2017, the Italian Grand Prix kicked off with almost all drivers opting for the use of Supersoft tires, except for the two Red Bull Racing drivers and Jolyon Palmer, who chose Soft tires (a set of new, unused tires). Lewis Hamilton maintained the lead at the start, resisting attacks from Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon. Kimi Räikkönen managed to pass Valtteri Bottas, but by the Parabolica, the Mercedes driver regained the fourth position. Sebastian Vettel, Felipe Massa, Max Verstappen, and Sergio Pérez followed. During the second lap, there was contact between Massa and Verstappen at the Variante della Roggia: the Dutchman damaged a tire and had to pit. Meanwhile, Bottas passed both Ocon and Stroll in a few laps, moving behind his teammate who led the race. Vettel also made a comeback, passing Räikkönen, Ocon, and Stroll to take the third position by the eighth lap. On lap 16, Kimi Räikkönen, facing difficulty overtaking cars ahead, decided to pit for a tire change. Esteban Ocon also pitted on the following lap. In the same lap, Daniel Ricciardo, who started sixteenth, overtook Sergio Pérez, claiming the sixth position. Lance Stroll pitted on lap 18, rejoining the track behind Kimi Räikkönen. Thanks to these pit stops, Daniel Ricciardo climbed to fourth place, trailing the two Mercedes drivers and Sebastian Vettel. On lap 26, Kimi Räikkönen passed Esteban Ocon and secured the sixth position behind Sergio Pérez. Sebastian Vettel pitted on lap 32, followed by Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton in the subsequent laps. One lap later, Sergio Pérez also pitted, dropping to ninth place behind the two Williams. Having not yet changed tires, Daniel Ricciardo moved to third place, behind the two Mercedes drivers. 

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The Red Bull driver waited until lap 38 before making his pit stop, rejoining the track in fifth place behind the two Ferrari drivers. Daniel Ricciardo fitted Supersoft tires, allowing him to set very fast lap times, ultimately securing the fastest lap of the race. On lap 41, the Australian driver overtook Kimi Räikkönen and attempted to catch up to Sebastian Vettel in the final laps, but without success, as Vettel struggled due to engine issues. Red Bull's other driver, Max Verstappen, used the final laps to make several overtakes and enter the points zone. On the last lap, Lance Stroll faced difficulties but resisted attacks from Felipe Massa and Sergio Pérez. Lewis Hamilton dominated at Monza, claiming the top spot in the World Championship standings and, with a substantial lead over the first Ferrari, sent a clear and strong message to rival Sebastian Vettel: if you really want to win the title, you'll have to come up with something, because the Mercedes is flying, and I'm in great shape. But Hamilton sent at least one more message to Ferrari. After crossing the finish line, the Englishman made an unusual move; instead of celebrating the victory, he slowed down and waited for his teammate Valtteri Bottas, who finished second. He let him pull alongside and took a victory lap together. The image of the two silver Mercedes, compact and coordinated, dominating the entire width of the Italian track amid waves of red-clad fans, had a military touch. But it wasn't just suggestive; it was also eloquent: given the technical balance reached this season, the role of the second drivers will be crucial going forward. Hamilton knows this perfectly and wants to maximize the role of his second. And perhaps, this is the worst news coming from Monza. Because the Räikkönen seen here is not up to the task that awaits him. That Mercedes was the favorite for this race was already known from the eve. The team knew it perfectly, Sergio Marchionne knew it, everyone knew it: the Mercedes one-two was to be expected.

 

"I love Italy, and I love the passion of Ferrari fans".

 

Hamilton says on the podium, despite the boos from Ferrari supporters.

 

"This energy is not seen anywhere else, maybe only at Silverstone".

 

Afterwards, the British driver talks about his car, impeccable throughout the weekend:

 

"The team has done an exceptional job, including Valtteri (Bottas). We have to thank them. The Mercedes engine is definitely better than the Ferrari, and this weekend proved it".

 

The only difficulty was Stroll's attack at the start:

 

"It was a tough start because I had little grip. But the day was fantastic, and I'm happy for the many British drivers who were here".

 

Valtteri Bottas adds:

 

"The start was difficult, but I kept my head down and progressed step by step. The car was extremely strong today, the speed we had was incredible, pure joy. The pace was great, thanks to the team. Any difficulties? None".

 

Despite the heavy penalties for Red Bull, the third position for Vettel and the fourth for Räikkönen were expected. However, the Finnish driver had a bad day, complaining about mysterious car problems and eventually being overtaken by an incredible Ricciardo. It seems that there's a huge difference between Kimi and Bottas, which could ultimately cost the German driver and Ferrari dearly. Sebastian Vettel seems to struggle to hide his disappointment, but he tries nonetheless. He has no desire to raise alarms or disturb the team during what appears to be the most delicate period of the season, judging by Sergio Marchionne's words. 

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So, Sebastian Vettel enters the press room, shakes off the fatigue accumulated in 53 laps of eating dust, and smiles. Sebastian, from the podium, just promised his fans that, in the end, Ferrari will make it... What makes him think so?

 

"We have a very strong car. Very. And we will have a great end to the season. I am sure of that".

 

Given what happened on the track, the gaps, some doubt is legitimate.

 

"It was a tough day. From the start. I didn't feel the car, couldn't keep up with Räikkönen and Bottas. It took me a while to get into the race. I made some overtakes, but then I didn't have the pace to stay behind the top two. And in the last twenty laps, I struggled a lot. In short, it was just a wrong race. I'm not worried about the future. On the contrary, I am optimistic. Despite the numbers and gaps. The championship is still very long, and people love us. We won't let them down".

 

Have you given an explanation for all these difficulties?

 

"Monza is a unique track. The driver's sensations make a big difference, whether he trusts the car or not. Now, I don't want to say that I didn't trust mine, but it's undeniable that this weekend was full of ups and downs. After the free practices on Friday, we had a couple of interventions to do on the car on Saturday, and we couldn't do them. But I think the same happened to others... In the end, I simply believe that Mercedes worked better than us".

 

It seems to understand that the big difference in this stage of the season will be made by the circuits. There are seven races left, and at least four, Sepang, Suzuka, Abu Dhabi, and Austin, seem to favor Mercedes on paper. Are you worried?

 

"I don't care about things on paper. Compared to predictions 'on paper,' there's always the extra element of competition that makes the difference. The ones you mentioned are all circuits that I like a lot. We are here to compete. And the more challenging, the more fun. Easy things in sports are boring”.

 

Many believe that the championship will be decided by the second drivers and their ability to steal points from opponents. Are you calm?

 

"It's not a calculation that interests me much. We race for the team and for ourselves. To do our best: as you've seen here, Kimi didn't move to let me pass, nor did I expect him to. More than thinking about points, it's important that there's the right chemistry between two teammates. And there is between me and Kimi".

 

More than the defeat, more than losing the first position in the World Championship right in the home race, more than anything, it burns with humiliation. Because that's what we're talking about: Mercedes humiliated Ferrari at Monza. And they did it intentionally. Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line half a minute ahead, and instead of celebrating, he waited for his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, and together they took an endless victory lap. For a moment, Monza's park plunged into a disappointed silence, broken only by the engines of the two Mercedes, side by side, almost militarily occupying the entire track. An atrocious scene for the fans, witnessed by Sergio Marchionne, Lapo, and John Elkann, along with Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who had come from Rome to celebrate Italian excellence but instead had to admire the Anglo-German dominance in all its glory.

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"The next one will be better". 

 

Says the guest of honor elegantly.

 

"An embarrassing gap". 

 

Marchionne comments on it in the heat of the moment.

 

"We need to wipe the smile off these guys' faces. It pisses me off".

 

That Mercedes not only wanted to win but also to humiliate its rivals was clear since Thursday when Lewis Hamilton, curiously using the same words later chosen by Sergio Marchionne, promised in a press conference that he would wipe the smile off Sebastian Vettel's face. And he did. After the start, in a few laps, he and his loyal sidekick built a huge lead over Vettel, who at that point could not achieve anything better than third place. In those conditions, the leading drivers usually manage the situation, bring the car to the finish line, trying to minimize the stresses on the chassis and the engine (especially since what the two Mercedes had on board yesterday must last at least five or six races). Hamilton, however, continued to push like crazy, setting consecutive record laps and even risking going off at the Roggia towards the end of the race. He knew well that in the Mercedes box was Dieter Zetsche, the president of the Daimler group with whom he is about to negotiate the renewal, and that this show would please him. But he also knew that there is no better way to annoy the Ferrari environment. Indeed, during the evening, they appear decidedly upset. In the numerous post-race meetings, engineers try to understand how such a debacle could have been possible, considering that the SF70H has never performed so poorly throughout the season. That Mercedes could achieve a 1-2 finish here at Monza, a track tailored to the characteristics of the W08, was in the predictions. But doing it with this margin, no. In the end, it seems that the intense Saturday rain was fatal to the Maranello team. The cancellation of the third free practice did not allow finding the right setup for a car that loves a different type of circuit, as was clear on Friday when, after the first two sessions, the race pace was absolutely insufficient. This diagnosis would justify some optimism for the future. However, the insufficient performance of Kimi Räikkönen raises more concerns. Considering the abysmal gap between Ferrari and Mercedes and the other teams on the grid, Ferrari's obvious goal was to finish third and fourth. The Finn managed to lose a position and be overtaken by Daniel Ricciardo, who, due to a penalty, had started in sixteenth position. It seems like his usual Finnish lethargy. However, someone (perhaps the same person who renewed his contract) should remind him that from now on, the championship will be decided on details, and therefore also on the ability of second drivers to steal points from the competition, especially on more favorable circuits. Something done very well by Bottas.


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