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#971 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix

2023-01-09 00:00

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#2017, Fulvio Conti, Translated by Margherita Urpi,

#971 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix

The typical English humor. It's what Lewis Hamilton reserves for Sebastian Vettel, a respect accompanied by a thinly veiled dose of mischief. As a gue

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The typical English humor. It's what Lewis Hamilton reserves for Sebastian Vettel, a respect accompanied by a thinly veiled dose of mischief. As a guest on Jonathan Ross's show, one of the stars of English TV, on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, the British driver agrees to talk about everything, from his rivalry with Sebastian Vettel to the future that awaits him away from the races. But retirement can wait for Hamilton: galvanized by the hat-trick of victories that is worth more than a mortgage on the fourth world title in his career, Lewis postpones his farewell to the Formula 1 Circus. Thanks to three consecutive wins after the summer break, the Mercedes driver has gone from a 14-point deficit to a 28-point advantage. A reversal completed in Singapore, where Hamilton made the most of the early-race incident involving the German driver from Ferrari, not without fault on that occasion.

 

"In the end, it's essential to have respect for the people you compete against. Sebastian is definitely an incredible athlete, and I sincerely consider him one of the best drivers there have ever been".

 

But after the sweet words, here comes the drop of venom.

 

"But it's fantastic to have seen some weaknesses emerge during the season. And I'm particularly grateful for the last one".

 

Then, talking about the Malaysian Grand Prix, the British driver says:

 

"It's definitely sad to think that this is the last one".

 

The current contract of the Sepang circuit with Formula 1 expires next year, but in April, the Malaysian government had said that this year could be the last. Speaking about the Sepang circuit, Hamilton says it is the most demanding for both the car and the team.

 

"They are taking away one of the toughest, if not the toughest Grand Prix of the season, and it will be hard to replace".

 

The Malaysian Grand Prix is one of the most physically demanding for drivers, with track temperatures close to 50 °C and humidity levels of 70%. On the eve of the Grand Prix, the imperative at Ferrari is mandatory. Turn the page. Think about the future. So, before meeting the journalists in the official press conference organized by the FIA, with sadistic perfidy and perfect dramatic sense, putting all three protagonists of the Singapore Grand Prix together, Sebastian Vettel puts on the poker player's mask and appears perfectly calm, in control.

 

"It's happened now. We have to think about the next races. And that's it".

 

The scars of the episode that risks compromising the season are still there, clearly visible, in the unmistakable form of the 28 points that now separate Ferrari from the top of the standings.

 

"But there's no point in continuing to discuss what happened at the start of the last Grand Prix. If we had had a reliability issue, if we had made some specific mistakes in terms of strategy or driving, then maybe it would have been useful to continue analyzing, discussing, to avoid making the same mistakes again. But if what happened, it's because we are in Formula 1, and race incidents are part of the game. So it's more useful to move on and try to win the next six races".

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Statistically speaking, a streak of six wins is practically impossible to achieve, so Sebastian's speech must be placed halfway between a questionable self-exoneration (we haven't done anything wrong, neither I nor the team) and a useful provocation. But, starting well, already here in Malaysia, would be crucial. Especially because if Hamilton were to accumulate more advantage in the world championship standings, then the situation would become really complicated. Needless to say, the situation is very delicate also from a psychological point of view. So much so that Hamilton - who has long brought the confrontation even outside the track - in recent days has tried to twist the knife in the wound of the German. Statements that have found no response. Hoping that the best reaction comes from the track, where Ferrari brings an impressive amount of aerodynamic innovations. The impression is that in Maranello, waiting to complete the developments of the new engine, the fourth one that will do the entire end of the season, they have decided to go all-in. On Friday, September 29, 2017, a video with a dog, a pinscher to be precise, mating with a puppet depicting Donald Trump, ignites a new political case in Formula 1. Again at the center of attention is Lewis Hamilton, now the only character in the paddock capable of occasionally breaking the mold. The facts are these: in recent days, the English driver leading the World Championship standings had sided with the American champions in the well-known controversy against the President of the United States.

 

"I strongly believe I can identify with those athletes”.

 

Explained Hamilton in a post on Instagram, his preferred social network (his profile is followed by nearly five million people), sharing the reasons behind the #Takeaknee campaign. The campaign was revived by the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who had knelt during the anthem in solidarity with the African American community and their reported police brutality. To those who pointed out how unusual it was for an F1 driver to engage in a political debate, Hamilton responded:

 

"I think anyone with freedom of speech can intervene on such issues. I believe we all have a role to play in making a difference in the world".

 

And evidently, the Englishman believes his role cannot be limited to just turning a steering wheel. To emphasize his stance, the day after those statements, roughly around the time Sebastian Vettel pledges in a press conference to win all the upcoming six races, Hamilton posts an inflammatory video on Instagram. While the previous day's stance had been largely appreciated by fans and industry insiders, the video was found distasteful by some. The first criticisms emerged directly in the comments on the post (where, to be fair, there are also many compliments), and perhaps due to the uproar, the driver deletes the post with the video a few hours later. While waiting for the FIA, which usually frowns upon drivers taking political stances, to decide how and whether to intervene in the matter, another driver joins Lewis Hamilton. This is Sergio Perez, the Mexican who drives for Force India.

 

"Being an athlete gives you a lot of visibility. It's important not only in the United States but also internationally to care about what's happening in the world and not just what concerns your job. We have obligations".

 

As if that weren't enough, there's a bombshell circulating in the paddock. And that bombshell has a name and a surname: Marcin Budkowski. A forty-year-old Polish engineer, handsome, friendly, and talented. Budkowski speaks four languages fluently and has an impressive resume, but that's not why any team would go to great lengths to hire him nowadays. The real reason is decidedly less confessable: Marcin knows all the secrets of F1. Budkowski was the head of the technical department at the FIA, and all the teams' requests for clarification passed through his desk. Put that way, it doesn't sound like much, but it means a lot. In F1, anyone struck by an idea at the limits of the regulations to make the cars go faster - a wing of a certain shape, a trick to put in the engine - before developing it, puts pen to paper and sends a letter to the FIA to ask if that idea is legal. 

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If the answer is affirmative, the team proceeds; otherwise, the designer comes up with something else. The FIA technical department also has inspection powers, so any team that learns or suspects something about the competitors' cars follows the same procedure: paper, pen, and a request for clarification to the FIA. That is, to Budkowski. Until Thursday, September 28, 2017, because to everyone's great surprise, the engineer resigned, tearing up - to even greater surprise - a ridiculously short gardening leave of just three months. Gardening leave is that clause that provides for a certain period of mandatory inactivity after the termination of employment to prevent the transfer of information or methodologies between competing companies. In F1, it starts from six months. Budkowski, however, will be free to make his knowledge and information acquired over these years at the FIA available to the highest bidder from January 1, 2018. Almost everyone in the paddock takes for granted that the Pole already has an agreement with a top team. Among the most reputable names, in addition to Williams, Ferrari couldn't be absent (where, by the way, the engineer had already worked as an aerodynamicist between 2000 and 2007 at the beginning of his career, before moving to McLaren). The hypothesis of a return to Maranello for Budkowski, supported by the news of a cordial and discreet dinner with the technical director, Mattia Binotto, after the Belgian Grand Prix, appears quite remote. Especially because - at the moment - there are not many top roles available at Ferrari. Some believe that a bidding war is about to unfold. Certainly, Budkowski holds many secrets, considering that the projects for the 2018 cars, for all teams, are already well advanced. For this reason, resignations and entry into the market are considered a double defeat for Jean Todt. 

 

The first because the president loses one of his most valuable collaborators, someone who with his diplomatic and transparent management had almost managed to make people forget the dark times when Charlie Whiting decided everything (even, say the malicious, who should win the World Championships). And the second because the FIA loses some credibility: it is a safe bet that the direct competitors of the lucky team that will secure his services will not be happy. Not to mention that from tomorrow, the technical department will be led - "until someone else is found" - by the eternal Whiting. Sometimes they come back. In fact, in F1, they almost always come back. Returning to Formula 1 and the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix, it is a strong Ferrari that appears at Sepang. This is clearly evident during the second free practice session of the day (the first had been characterized by intermittent rain that diluted the technical significance of the entire morning). More than the times set by the two red drivers (almost 1.5 seconds better than the two Mercedes drivers), what strikes is the ease with which the engineers find the best setup for the cars. Sebastian Vettel - who, on the eve of the race, had stated that he wanted to try to win all six upcoming races - seems in full control of the situation all the time, always setting the fastest time with any tire and at any stage. Closely followed by Kimi Räikkönen. In short, the Singapore incident seems forgotten. Now, much will depend on the weather conditions. It sounds funny to say, but it's true. In an ultra-technological Formula 1, the competition has become so fierce that the slightest detail can make a huge difference. In today's case, the situation is as follows: in Maranello, they have decided to implement a very aggressive strategy and have arrived here in Malaysia with a series of updates dedicated to the Sepang track where historically, races are held in unbearable temperatures. If it gets cold or even rains (as happened during the first session, dominated by Red Bull), they could be in trouble. Sebastian Vettel says:

 

"It can rain at any moment here. But it doesn't matter because we have a good car, and it's up to us to make it work in all conditions. Today we've already seen them all and collected a lot of data".

 

If equatorial temperatures are typical, then it could be trouble for Mercedes. Moreover, it seemed in the midst of a technical crisis. Hamilton and Bottas never found the right pace, and the car seemed slow and awkward. Forecasts speak of a highly unstable situation, with many chances of light rain throughout the weekend. Much about how the race will go can be understood already on Saturday morning, during the third free practice session. Ferrari cannot afford to make a mistake. 

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The second free practice session was interrupted early due to the accident involving Romain Grosjean's Haas. The Swiss driver's car saw a tire explode after impact with a manhole cover, lifted due to a collapse, positioned on a curb at turn 13 on the Sepang circuit. The Haas, after losing control, ended its run against the barriers. The driver, unharmed, explained upon returning to the pits:

 

"I didn't see anything, then suddenly I felt a big hit on the rear right tire. Fortunately, I'm fine, and that's the main thing".

 

On Saturday, September 30, 2017, during the third and final practice session, Kimi Räikkönen recorded the best performance, surpassing Sebastian Vettel this time, who had been the fastest on Friday. A technical issue occurred on the German's car while he was conducting a race simulation, prompting the team to replace the engine at the end of the practice session. Daniel Ricciardo set the third-best time. The Australian driver outpaced the two Mercedes cars, which introduced a new aerodynamic package on Valtteri Bottas's car. An incident occurred during the session involving Max Verstappen and Jolyon Palmer: Palmer's car punctured a tire on Verstappen's car. Like the morning's free practice sessions, the qualifications also took place on a dry track. Lewis Hamilton quickly set the best time, but was later surpassed by Kimi Räikkönen; however, the Englishman managed to reclaim the top spot. Mercedes and Ferrari drivers used Soft tires, while others opted for Supersofts. Sebastian Vettel failed to set a valid time for the lineup after slowly returning to the pits. The repair attempt was unsuccessful, leading to the German's elimination in the first phase. The battle to advance to Q2 saw the elimination of four Ferrari-powered drivers, namely the two Sauber drivers and those from Haas. The duel between Hamilton and Räikkönen continued into the second phase, with Max Verstappen also joining the mix. Both Verstappen and Vettel were the only drivers who did not return to the track in the final minutes to improve their times. Valtteri Bottas set the best performance, while Lewis Hamilton settled for the fourth time. Toro Rosso, Williams, and Jolyon Palmer's drivers were eliminated. In the final phase, Lewis Hamilton took the lead in the time standings from the first attempt. The Briton was ahead of Kimi Räikkönen by about 0.2 seconds and Daniel Ricciardo by 0.5 seconds. The other Mercedes driver, Valtteri Bottas, finished fifth, behind Max Verstappen as well. 

 

In the second attempt, the track seemed slower, but Verstappen managed to set a better time than Daniel Ricciardo. This marked Lewis Hamilton's seventieth pole position in Formula 1. After the qualifications, Ferrari replaced not only the engine on Vettel's car but also the MGU-H and the turbo. Despite the initial high expectations, the situation turned disastrous. Following the Singapore crash and the reaction mistake in Baku, the Sepang qualifications risked becoming the third dramatic moment of Ferrari's season. Sebastian Vettel experienced engine problems and would start from the last position on the grid. Meanwhile, his teammate Kimi Räikkönen, despite a strong performance, was outdone by Lewis Hamilton, losing the pole position in the final seconds. The race was scheduled for Sunday, and the unpredictable Sepang weather could still play a role in Ferrari's favor. However, as of now, the goal set by Maurizio Arrivabene to please Sergio Marchionne, who wanted to wipe the smile off Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff's faces, remained unfulfilled. Both of them were still laughing. And enjoying it. As mentioned, Ferrari had come to Sepang in excellent form. Since Friday, they demonstrated having the best car. More importantly, Mercedes seemed to be facing a technical crisis. This was surprising, considering that the circuit was usually considered one where the W08 performed better than the SF70H. However, the car from Maranello dominated the Friday and Saturday morning free practice sessions. Towards the end of the session, a small crack appeared in Ferrari's dreams. An electrical issue forced the team to urgently call Vettel back to the pits. Upon returning, it became apparent that the situation was more serious than initially thought. Consequently, the team had to change the ICE, the traditional part of the power unit, the combustion engine. Installed in record time (there were just two hours between the free practice and qualifying), the new engine was fitted to Vettel's car in time for Q3, the first session of qualifying. However, after just one lap, the German announced over the radio that he couldn't feel the turbo. In short, the car was slow. They told him:

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"Get back to the pits immediately”. 

 

Upon opening the hood, it became clear that it was a disaster, and there was no time to put everything back in order. There were just five minutes left in the session. Obviously, what had happened was not communicated externally. And most likely, as is often the case when someone messes up, the exact cause will never be known for certain. So, in the race, the German driver will start from the last position: not ideal considering he needs to recover 28 points to Hamilton in the standings, with only six races left. He'll have to come up with something with the strategy and probably hope for rain (something actually feared, given that Mercedes performs even better in wet conditions). At this point, however, a small parenthesis needs to be opened. Because, once again, it's probably not just bad luck that explains what happened. Teams have four engines available for the entire season. Ferrari had announced in Sepang, surprisingly, that they would continue with the third engine. Many, however, had taken for granted that - being a track where the engine is crucial - the engineers from the Maranello team would introduce the new one. But they didn't. And the reason is still not clear. However, Ferrari had decided to delay the introduction of the new engine until Austin (as if they didn't trust its reliability). In short, the impression is that something went wrong in the engine rotation. Consider that with a much-debated strategic choice, Mercedes introduced its fourth engine in Spa at the end of August. But, of course, there will be time for these discussions. Meanwhile, as Vettel sportsmanlike shakes hands with the mechanics who installed an engine in just two hours (working at 50 °C, Sepang is practically on the equator), while the motor engineers begin their investigations to understand what could have happened, the Q3 unfolds on the track. In it, to put it briefly, Kimi Räikkönen manages the miracle of messing up the lap, or at least doing worse than a Lewis Hamilton who, in celebrating his umpteenth pole and a race that now seems downhill, makes a comment that should make those in Italy who recently decided to renew the contract with the Finn reflect a lot:

 

"The pole? This time, I don't even know how I ended up there".

 

In explaining the incident, Ferrari says:

 

"After the free practices, we had to replace only the ICE, the traditional part of the power unit, the combustion part, but the piece that comes from Maranello is already connected to its turbo and other components; so in the garage, we only mounted the package on board. In short, the analysis still needs to be done, but as things stand, the blame seems to be on Maranello".

 

But apparently, before sending that engine to Malaysia, the famous number four that was supposed to debut in Suzuka had passed all reliability tests and even had 50 km of bench test mileage (it would have done at most two on the track). If this version were true, the mistake would have been made by the mechanics thanked by Seb. Only two conflicting versions, perhaps the result of some misunderstanding, or the emerging part of a small internal conflict? In the background, there is also the choice regarding the rotation of the engines to be evaluated. The FIA ​​authorized teams to homologate a maximum of four engines for 2017, with twenty races in total. In Spa, only at the twelfth race, Mercedes decides to homologate the fourth engine. It's a gamble: in order to take advantage of a regulatory opportunity regarding oil consumption, the Stuttgart team condemns itself to do the last eight Grand Prix with only two engines, developed no later than August. Ferrari chooses not to follow the competition: it will use the third engine until the end of its natural life cycle and then replace it with the fourth, which, however, they promise, will be highly developed. Expectations for this power unit are high (it is nicknamed the big engine), but they are accompanied by persistent rumors of its lack of reliability. Everyone is waiting for the new engine in Sepang, the first of a series of races where historically horsepower makes the difference and where Ferrari must recover ground on the competition. And yet, on Thursday, the official announcement comes that the two Ferraris will again mount the number three. Except to switch to the new engine after the breakdown on Saturday morning.

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On Sunday, October 1, 2017, during the alignment lap, Kimi Räikkönen's car experienced a technical issue. The car was brought to the starting grid but, just before the start, it returned to the pits, transported by the mechanics. The Finn did not participate in the race. All drivers started with Supersoft tires, except Sebastian Vettel and the two Saubers, who used Soft tires. At the start of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton is in the lead, while his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, attacks the two Red Bull Racing cars and manages to climb to third position, behind Max Verstappen but ahead of Daniel Ricciardo. Stoffel Vandoorne follows, along with the two Force Indias and the two Williams. At the end of the first lap, Sebastian Vettel, who started last, is already in thirteenth place. On the second lap, Esteban Ocon immediately makes a pit stop. Verstappen attacks Hamilton during the third lap and overtakes him at the first corner, taking the lead. During the eighth lap, Sergio Pérez overtakes Stoffel Vandoorne, while, on lap 8, Red Bull's other driver, Daniel Ricciardo, overtakes Valtteri Bottas and climbs to third place. Between laps 7 and 13, Sebastian Vettel climbs to sixth place, after overtaking Fernando Alonso and Kevin Magnussen and taking advantage of the pit stops of the two Williams and Stoffel Vandoorne. The Belgian, upon returning to the track, finds himself in the middle of the battle between the two Williams cars and manages to stay ahead of both British team drivers, with Lance Stroll overtaking Felipe Massa. During the 21st lap, Sebastian Vettel also overtakes Sergio Pérez and is in fifth place. Behind the Mexican are Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., Esteban Ocon, and Stoffel Vandoorne. During the 25th lap, there is contact between Sainz Jr. and Ocon at the first corner, but both can continue. On the 26th lap, Lewis Hamilton returns to the pits for a tire change, followed, after a lap, by Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo takes the lead, ahead of Max Verstappen, the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, and Sebastian Vettel. The Australian stops on the 28th lap, followed by Valtteri Bottas on lap 29. Sergio Pérez pits on lap 31, and as a result, the standings change. Max Verstappen returns to the lead, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo. Valtteri Bottas returns to the track in fifth place, ahead of Sergio Pérez but behind Sebastian Vettel. 

 

The German from the Ferrari team, using Supersoft tires, approaches Daniel Ricciardo and attempts a pass on the 50th lap, but without success. In the final laps, the German driver cannot get closer to the Red Bull driver, and the standings remain unchanged. Max Verstappen wins the Malaysian Grand Prix, followed by Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo. Sebastian Vettel's impressive race - starting twentieth, he finished the Malaysian Grand Prix with a valuable fourth place - ultimately risks becoming just a detail in the history of this Formula 1 weekend. Too many problems, difficulties, and errors were seen in the last twenty-four hours, as well as too many points of distance that Sebastian Vettel now has to recover against Lewis Hamilton, who can now manage a 34-point advantage in five races. Sunday started as Saturday ended, with an inexplicable engine failure produced in Maranello. This time it was Kimi Räikkönen’s turn. After the formation lap, the Finn contacted the pit, stating that he had no power in his SF70H. The car was pushed into the garage from the grid, but it was not fixed in time and did not take part in the Grand Prix. Quickly processing the grief for Räikkönen’s non-start, the lights went out, and the Grand Prix started, resolving itself in the first lap when Verstappen overtook Hamilton, who - unlike what Vettel did in Singapore - let him go easily, avoiding unnecessary and dangerous skirmishes. The Englishman selected the save mode on his engine's dial, took second place, and began to think about what he could come up with in Suzuka to contain Ferrari. Behind them, quickly overtaken by Ricciardo (Red Bull seemed reborn), Mercedes' standard-bearer, Valtteri Bottas, dissolved in a few laps, reserving the last shred of competitive presence to obstruct, successfully, Sebastian Vettel just before the halfway point of the race. The German was running his own race: he had aimed for the podium and would have reached it if Bottas hadn't slowed him down in that circumstance. In reality, the Finn was not the only one to hinder Vettel. In an even less gentlemanly manner, Fernando Alonso, now lapped, did the same towards the end. Daniel Ricciardo was now close to Sebastian Vettel's car, and the Spaniard tackled him, earning a reprimand in full view. But nothing more. Sebastian Vettel's race ended there. The tire advantage that guaranteed him the strategy ended the next lap. When the final procession towards the finish line started. And after the finish line, Vettel was involved in a collision with Lance Stroll's Williams. 

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The contact was considered a normal racing incident, but Ferrari may have suffered serious damage to the gearbox, bad news ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. The German driver says at the end of the race:

 

"All in all, I am happy with the result, but it would have been better to finish among the top three. In the end, I only had a half-chance to overtake. The car's speed was very positive; it's a pity that Räikkönen couldn't race. It's the first time we've had issues; usually, everything goes well, and it's hard to accept".

 

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, who won his second Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes and teammate Daniel Ricciardo, says:

 

"From the beginning, the car gave me good sensations, and I saw that Lewis was struggling. I tried in the first corner and managed to pass him; he had more to lose since he was competing for a World Championship".

 

Verstappen's championship has had its ups and downs:

 

"It was a very tough race; I had neck problems at the end and needed some rest. After the season I've had, beautiful but sometimes unfortunate, this victory came at the most beautiful moment. Along with my father and Red Bull, we've come a long way".

 

After the race, the spotlight turned to the theme of the day: the reliability of Ferrari, which suddenly revealed itself to be very fragile. No details have leaked from the Räikkönen breakdown, while regarding yesterday's (on Vettel's car), it was found to be a defective duct that did not properly feed the turbo. In the end, regardless of the reasons, the fact remains that Ferrari burned three engines in eight kilometers here in Sepang. Bad news for Marchionne. But not great for the competition either, as now they have a 34-point advantage but find themselves having to fight with a Vettel who can tackle the next five races with new components. It seems paradoxical, but this is the main problem for Mercedes: it is now the second car in the lineup, and it would not have won in both Singapore and Malaysia. The 34 points that seem like an eternity for Ferrari, but from Mercedes' point of view, resemble a fragile barrier against the onslaught of the Maranello team. A year ago, it was here in Malaysia that Lewis Hamilton realized he would lose the World Championship. His engine broke, while Nico Rosberg finished third and pulled away. Twelve months have passed since then, and life has had fun turning everything upside down, putting half of the World Championship in the Englishman's pocket at the end of one of his worst performances of the season with his Mercedes. However, an experienced driver like Lewis Hamilton knows that half of the World Championship is not enough. And from what he has seen on the asphalt of Sepang, to conquer the other half, he will have to fight to the last meter of the track. Because Ferrari seems to be the fastest car at the moment, and it is inconceivable that the chain of errors and misfortune will plague the Maranello team for much longer. For this reason, after getting out of the car, Lewis celebrated the excellent result more soberly than ever:

 

"We have a lot to work on; the car struggled too much with every type of tire, in every situation. Today we didn't have the pace; we were 0.8 seconds behind Ferrari, and this needs to be resolved. We know that when temperatures are high, we suffer, while with fresh asphalt, it's better. But this way is not good".

 

The Briton says, sending a clear message to his team:

 

"We are in danger".

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Also, because the Ferrari that comes out defeated from Sepang (but in a trouble-free race would have comfortably taken the top two positions) can now count, as a consolation prize for all its problems, on at least two new and updated power units to be delivered to Vettel for the last five races. And from what has been seen on the track, the fourth evolution of the Ferrari engine is really strong. While the two engines that Mercedes can alternate in the next races are starting to get tired, as well as old. Certainly, such a problem is much better faced if you have a 34-point advantage over your opponent, and Hamilton knows well what that means. For just one point, he did not succeed in his plan, which was to crush Vettel in the no-control zone, the zone where you no longer hold the keys to the game, when the gap from the top is such that even winning them all might not be enough because your rival only needs to always come second. It happened to him last year, against Rosberg: the race after Malaysia, in Japan, Nico won, he finished third: 28 points difference and four races to go. Every Sunday was torture: he won, but immediately saw his efforts nullified by the second place of the other. Exactly the treatment that now, again in Japan, still turning the situation around, he hopes to be able to inflict on Vettel, with a not secondary difference. If the car doesn't improve quickly, it will be a challenge even to always finish second. Also, because there is Räikkönen. But then because Verstappen and Ricciardo's Red Bull suddenly seems to have come out of its seasonal slumber. After impressing in the Singapore qualifiers (though, notably less so in the race), Adrian Newey's cars - seemingly inspired by Ferrari for the latest crucial modifications - left everyone astonished here in Malaysia. They demonstrated an unbeatable aggressiveness and race pace right from the first lap, leaving Mercedes in a predicament. At this point, Mercedes finds itself at an unexpected technical crossroads; it must either resolve its issues or risk getting stuck in traffic. Says Lewis Hamilton, understanding the real situation:

 

"Congratulations to Max, and a big thank you to all the fans who were fantastic. Racing on this track is very enjoyable. It was a tough race for us because the Red Bulls had a significant pace advantage over us. Gaining points against Vettel? A good feeling because we didn't have the right pace here, and we need to work hard to maintain these results". 

 

On his part, Daniel Ricciardo enjoys another podium, having defended against Vettel's assault:

 

"At the start, it seemed like the Mercedes were struggling. I tried to overtake Bottas as quickly as possible and ran my race. Vettel caught up with me in the end, but I managed to keep him behind. It was physically demanding, perhaps a bit boring, but it was nice to reach this podium".

 

With three engines breaking in 24 hours, the best Ferrari of the season moves further away from the top. The hours after the Grand Prix will be tough to digest, especially because regrets and concerns are tightening around the throats of the fans and the team, taking their breath away. Maurizio Arrivabene is a tiger in the Ferrari box. He has the physique for the role, but above all, the gaze. He paces nervously, counting the points still up for grabs, 125, and glaring menacingly toward the Mercedes hospitality, tonight quieter than usual, swearing that it's not over yet. However, there's something that doesn't give him peace, and that thing has a name: regret. Because, in the end, in the last two races, Ferrari had by far the fastest car. Instead of recovering what the rain took from them at Monza, they lost more points: due to a mistake by Vettel (not the first of this season) in Singapore; due to a tube - engineers call it a conduit, but in the end, it's just a tube - in Sepang. The classic piece worth a few euros that ruins a million-dollar enterprise. A story heard before, but still relevant. Details, Vettel's steering input, the air bubble in the carbon fiber, tiny details that are costing the team a World Championship that, given the competitiveness of this year's project, was definitely within reach. It was. And still is. As long as no more mistakes are made. And especially as long as they figure out what the hell happened with that tube. And here comes the other part of the knot. The concern. Because the mystery of the tube will keep the engineers awake from now until Friday, October 6, 2017, when they will start again in Suzuka. 

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Apparently, not only Vettel's car on Saturday but also Räikkönen’s car - which couldn't even take part in the race because of this - had problems with the turbo's conduit. And since a coincidence is to be ruled out, something needs to be understood. And quickly. It needs to be understood how it was possible for two completely different engines, one with hundreds of kilometers behind it, the other completely virgin, to suddenly have the same problem. Before reaching definitive conclusions, an analysis of the parts will be needed, but there is a fear that there is a problem with a supply or with quality controls. Alternatively, it cannot be ruled out that those parts have interacted poorly with the new cooling system of the power unit, debuted in Malaysia to cope with the equatorial heat. In Suzuka, the climate should be decidedly milder. So, in that case, it wouldn't be a problem to return to the old configuration. The important thing is not to make a mistake in the evaluation. Also, because fate really doesn't seem willing to help. The last blow comes immediately after the race. During the cooldown lap, Vettel was catching his breath after a breathless race (it was about 40 °C with equatorial humidity) when he encountered a not-so-orthodox maneuver by Lance Stroll. The young Canadian suddenly changed trajectory, moving to the right in a left turn, and collided head-on with Sebastian Vettel, who was making a sort of last-minute overtaking move. The stewards opened a minimal investigation and then decided not to proceed further. Nothing serious. But in the incident, Vettel's car - which had meanwhile hitchhiked on Pascal Wehrlein's Sauber - suffered serious damage, and there is doubt that the gearbox may have also been damaged. Whose replacement costs 5 grid penalty points. Tonight, the team will decide whether to send it to Maranello for a careful structural check. If it doesn't provide guarantees, it will be replaced. To the delight of Hamilton. A lot of regret, hard to digest, for those who have always believed in a leading role for Ferrari in the Formula 1 World Championship. Sergio Marchionne, president of Ferrari, struggles to contain his disappointment in commenting on the team's results in the last two races in Asia, first in Singapore and this past weekend in Malaysia, Grand Prix races that were supposed to represent a comeback for the Maranello team after the overtaking by Sebastian Vettel by Lewis Hamilton, the flagship of the Mercedes team.

 

"Let's talk about certain things. That the two Ferraris could beat everyone is an undisputed fact, and that it could also happen in Singapore is an undisputed fact. The fact that we had problems with the engines has to do with two things: we have a very young team, and the quality of the components is not at the level necessary for a racing car. We are intervening".

 

Then, the president deepens his analysis.

 

"It's almost fortunate that nothing has happened until now. Now we are reviewing the entire supply chain and making organizational changes. Having these problems during the race is frustrating. If it happens at home to break an engine, well, but to have a car in second place and not see it on the grid is really hair-raising".

 

Culprits found. Just twenty-four hours after the disastrous Sunday in Sepang, Sergio Marchionne raises his index finger and points it at those responsible. Promising measures. A quite direct way to send his message to everyone, inside and outside the team: there are still chances to win, no one can make mistakes anymore. What happened has been seen by everyone. In Malaysia, Ferrari presented itself with the best car, it demonstrated it on Friday in free practice, it demonstrated it on Saturday as long as it could run, and it demonstrated it on Sunday during the race when Sebastian Vettel devoured the track under the wheels of the opponents, achieving a sensational fourth place despite starting from the twentieth position. But despite this, despite having the fastest car, it managed to lose more heavy points in the standings to the worst Mercedes seen in recent years. Blame for what is called unreliability in F1. That is, the tendency of a car to have technical setbacks of various kinds. In detail, between Saturday and Sunday, three engines broke. And for this reason, Räikkönen could not take part in the race, and Vettel was forced to start from the last position. 

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The analysis of the parts, the real autopsies conducted on the cars, showed that the same piece always broke, the duct that conveys exhaust gases from the thermal engine to the turbocharger compressor. A tube worth a few euros. Now, even knowing Marchionne's temperament, it is easy to understand how the dynamics of what happened, a piece worth a handful of euros compromising a million-dollar enterprise, did not contribute to the serenity of the day at the Maranello team. Indeed, it revolved around some statements made by the president on the sidelines of the ceremony for an honorary degree received on Monday, October 2, 2017, in Rovereto. In analyzing what happened, Marchionne is very clear:

 

"We have a young team, and the quality of the components is not at the level necessary for a racing car".

 

Weighty words that the president utters after being detailed on the causes of what happened. Which are basically two: defective parts and the lack of quality control. For the former, Marchionne inevitably targets the supplier:

 

"We are reviewing the entire supply chain".

 

For the latter, the issue is a bit more complex. Because every part that arrives at Ferrari, before being introduced into the production system, must pass numerous exams. Now it turns out that those exams were not so accurate. This explains the announcement:

 

"We will make organizational changes".

 

The second aspect emerged thanks to the incidents in Sepang, objectively, is more serious than the first. The ultimate responsibility for a part mounted on an F1 car is always and in any case of the team, and it is really singular that today it is discovered that the controls in Ferrari were so-so. But it is a fact, as the bitter concluding remark of the president shows:

 

“It's almost fortunate that nothing has happened until now”.


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