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Once again, a Ferrari shines in Bahrain. However, this time, it's not Sebastian Vettel's. On Tuesday, April 18, 2017, during the tests at the Sakhir circuit, Lewis Hamilton proves to be the fastest. The surprise, though, comes from Antonio Giovinazzi, who has returned to Ferrari after his stint with Sauber. The British driver finishes with the best time (1'31"358), with the Italian driver right behind him. The third Ferrari driver, making his debut on the SF70H, secures the second time with a gap of 0.626 seconds, confirming a strong performance in the morning. Daniel Ricciardo takes the third position with Red Bull, trailing by 0.991 seconds. Sebastian Vettel settles for the ninth position (1'33"894) as he conducts tests for Pirelli in preparation for the next season. In the afternoon, the German driver faces mechanical issues and remains in the box. Pirelli requests him to work overtime, continuing to run. In the morning, the British Mercedes driver had set a time of 1'32''822. Giovinazzi and Vettel finish in sixth and seventh positions, with the Italian completing an impressive 67 laps, more than any other driver on the track. McLaren continues to struggle as Turvey covers only two laps before having to replace the Honda power unit.
"I enjoyed all these laps".
Antonio Giovinazzi is radiant at the end of the first test day in Bahrain. Ferrari had already tested him at Fiorano, and he was familiar with the current F1 cars. However, the car used in the first test was the SF15-T, and the one in winter testing and the first two Grand Prix races was a Sauber. Therefore, it's his first real day on a Ferrari. Giovinazzi demonstrates maturity and professionalism both behind the wheel (his best time is 1'31"984 with Supersoft tires, but he mostly used Mediums) and in front of the engineers.
"Driving the car that won the last race and is leading the World Championship, working with Ferrari engineers and mechanics, is not just a great emotion: it's the dream I had since I was a child when I raced with karts, and now it comes true".
Meanwhile, the owner of Force India is arrested. Indian businessman Vijay Mallya is detained in London following an extradition request from the Indian government. Mallya left India on March 3, 2016, after a consortium of 17 banks filed a court case to reclaim 1.3 billion euros (90 billion rupees) granted through loans for Mallya's various activities, some of which were used to fund the failed Kingfisher Airways. Officers took custody of Mallya, 61 years old, at 9:30 a.m. and will present him later in the day before the Westminster court in the British capital. Legal experts in New Delhi argue that the extradition process is complex because Mallya also holds a British passport, providing him with relative protection. The judge must assess whether the Indian extradition request is strong enough under British law, not only legally but also concerning the human rights of the accused. Returning to Formula 1, there's no podium or pole position at stake, but Mercedes and Ferrari are eager to continue their rivalry even when the first place means nothing. So, on the second day of Formula 1 testing in Bahrain, when the only satisfaction is to stay at the top of the time charts, Valtteri Bottas shines the most with his Mercedes, putting everyone behind, including Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari. The Finnish driver, who arrived in Stuttgart to take over from World Champion Nico Rosberg, completes a whopping 143 laps, focusing on aerodynamic work and better tire utilization. Bottas sets the fastest time with 1'31"280, almost 0.3 seconds better than the World Championship leader, fresh off his Bahrain Grand Prix triumph (1'31"574 for Vettel, who completes 64 laps in total). The Ferrari driver stays in the box for a long time in the morning to resolve a hydraulic leak issue, completing only eight laps before lunch. The Toro Rosso of Carlos Sainz Jr. achieves a good third time (1'31"884 and 68 laps), while the McLaren driven by Stoffel Vandoorne surprises at least for once, completing 81 laps without any issues with the Honda power unit. Kevin Magnussen follows with Haas, Esteban Ocon with Force India, Daniil Kvyat with Toro Rosso, and Gary Paffett with Williams. Sergey Sirotkin finishes his first test day with Renault in ninth place, one second behind Mercedes, and ahead of the Red Bull of young Frenchman Pierre Gasly, last year's GP2 champion. The Frenchman is over a second off the pace, completing a total of 65 laps. There was no need to extend the tests this time: at 6:00 p.m., Seb Vettel's SF70H parks in the box, concluding a day of work.
"It would have been nice to try even more, but today we encountered some small issues in the morning, as is normal during tests, and then in the afternoon, we lost a lot of time due to an electrical blackout in our garage".
This is not uncommon during test sessions, where numerous sets of tires are used, and the resistances of the tire warmers absorb a lot of energy.
"Anyway, driving this car is always a pleasure. The lap times don't matter much, as we didn't know what program the others were running".
After the two days of testing in Bahrain, the next appointment for the Circus trials during the season is scheduled for August 1-2 at the Hungaroring, following the Hungarian Grand Prix. There will then be a third session, to be held at the Yas Marina Circuit on November 28-29, at the end of the World Championship, with the aim of testing the tires designed for the 2018 season. During the season tests, teams must use young drivers who have raced in fewer than three F1 Grands Prix for at least two days out of the four total allowed. The tests in Sakhir (covering 1761 laps over the two test days, totaling 9536 km) also provided Pirelli with the opportunity to start the development program for the 2018 tires, as defined by the Sporting Regulations. On Tuesday, the Italian company had the Ferrari driven by Sebastian Vettel to test new solutions for the upcoming season. Renault and Toro Rosso will test the Pirelli specifications for 2018 on May 16 and 17 in Barcelona. Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director, stated:
"We are satisfied with the results of this test. Yesterday, we completed the program we had set with Ferrari, despite the stoppage of a few hours due to mechanical problems with the car. The teams and circuit officials showed maximum availability in accommodating our request to extend the work program by 3 hours. We were thus able to complete our test plan. Vettel completed 130 laps, testing various solutions for the next season. This track is particularly suitable for this type of test, especially due to the very stable weather conditions and the layout that enhances overheating phenomena. We conducted screenings on different compound levels, collecting a lot of useful data that we will analyze in Milan and that will provide the basis for the development tests in Barcelona on May 16 and 17".
After finishing fifth in the Bahrain Grand Prix, following two fourth places in Australia and China, Kimi Räikkönen is ready to battle for the podium in the upcoming Russian Grand Prix.
"I have a competitive car, and it's up to me to try to make the most of it. I had some issues in the first race, but in the last one, I was quite happy, maybe not in qualifying, but in the race, it went pretty well. The feeling was quite good; we need to try to have a better Saturday and then use our speed".
Räikkönen is not disappointed with his placements so far this season:
"These are normal things; every year there are races where things don't go as you hope. I've been fortunate to be in a position to win, it doesn't always happen, but you have to get used to it. Sometimes you find yourself in a position to win, sometimes not; it's normal. When you don't do your best, you never enjoy it, surely you have more fun when you achieve a good result".
At the moment, the Finn doesn't see a significant difference between Ferrari and Mercedes:
"We've been very close to everyone, and we expect it to be no different here. It's hard to compare this Ferrari with those of the past; certainly compared to the last three years, it's the best. But when I was in Ferrari the first time, I drove excellent cars. This one is also a great car with a competitive package that can be improved from time to time. And that's what we have to do; I have to try to make things work as best as possible".
Kimi Räikkönen explains, finally, that he does not feel like the second driver at all, despite his teammate Sebastian Vettel currently leading the drivers' championship with 34 more points than him:
"As drivers, we know exactly what we need to do, and nothing has changed in our relationship so far. If by the end of the season, one of us absolutely cannot compete for the drivers' championship, then this situation might come into play, but until then, I don't see a reason to talk about it".
On his part, on the eve of the Russian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel says:
"We have a good car, and the challenge this year will be to ensure that it continues to be so. Everyone will improve, and we will also have to do our best. I'm looking forward to starting the weekend because it seems like we are closer to our competitors compared to last year. We know we've started the season well, but Mercedes is always very strong. It should be an interesting race. I like the track, even though it's not easy. It's challenging to extract the full potential in just one lap, and there are always a couple of things to watch out for. Tomorrow will be an important day. We are happy with how things have gone so far, but especially this year, it will be important to focus on every single step".
It's a strange eve for the Maranello team. Calm, despite everything. Sochi is practically the wolf's den. It's an engine track where strategies, so far Ferrari's extra weapon, can play a very limited role. Thus, historically, it's ideal for Mercedes, which, in the three editions held here, has secured three pole positions, three victories, and two second places. Despite this, there is a calm atmosphere in Ferrari, credited to the results and, undoubtedly, to a car that promises to keep pace throughout the season. So, even in the wolf's den, the tones and speeches are rounded, accommodating. Even the thorny ones, like Räikkönen’s future. In China, President Sergio Marchionne said:
"Today, Kimi seemed to be thinking about something else; it's time for Maurizio (Arrivabene, ed.) to talk to him for a moment".
Three weeks later, Räikkönen processes the blow:
"The words of Marchionne? I know that some nonsense has been written about it. But I trust only my personal relationships, and according to what Marchionne told me, everything is fine".
In short, beyond the usual, small veniality of blaming journalists for the words spoken (in this case, by the president of Ferrari), Kimi's attempt to turn the page is evident.
"I, too, expect more from myself. Anyway".
It remains to be seen what comes on the next page. The question is direct: How long do you think your career will last?
The answer is less direct.
"I don't know what will happen after this year. Now my priority is the next Grand Prix".
And when someone points out that his extracurricular activities have increased lately (he owns a karaoke bar in Helsinki and a motocross team), the Finn responds twistedly, half-jokingly, half-not:
"I don't feel like talking about it; I don't see what it has to do with anything. I like bars, I go to them, not as much as I would like, to tell the truth, and above all, I sing badly... I am happy with myself, with my career, with the world championship won too long ago. And I don't know what I will do next year. That's it".
The impression is that he also sees the end of his career as imminent. A paradoxically ideal situation for Ferrari. At least in the short term. With things standing this way, Maurizio Arrivabene, who will address the issue of drivers for 2018 in a few months, should not have too much difficulty in managing the relationship between Räikkönen and Vettel. There won't even be a need for team orders.
"We talked about it at the beginning of the year; we know exactly what we need to do".
The same cannot be said for Mercedes. Because while it's true that even Valtteri Bottas, after the order received from the team in Bahrain, toned down his remarks, it's also true that he is playing for his career: unlike Kimi, he has never won a World Championship, and in F1, there's nothing worse than the underdog label. The Russian weekend for Ferrari begins with a significant show of strength. After the triumph in Bahrain, the men from the Maranello team arrive at the Sochi circuit conspicuously flaunting their outsider role, considering that the track should favor Mercedes. On the eve of the Grand Prix, Vettel himself had unloaded the expectations of the competitors and the accompanying pressure:
"The clear favorite cannot be anyone other than Hamilton".
However, when the engines are revved up, the story changes suddenly. Ferrari appears very competitive, setting the fastest time in both the morning and afternoon free practice sessions. More importantly, they show excellent race pace, especially with the Ultrasoft tires, whose durability is considered a key element in a race that seems likely to feature an almost obligatory one-stop strategy.
"I think we can be happy".
The same cannot be said for Mercedes. Expected to be the anticipated protagonist, the Anglo-German team often seemed to struggle. Neither Hamilton nor Bottas came close to the times set by Ferrari, both in the quick laps and race pace. In particular, Hamilton had a bit too much trouble getting accustomed to the track, making many mistakes, especially at the entry to Turn 2. Usually, there's a risk that teams hide their true performance on Fridays or engage in pre-tactics. But the impression is that everyone ran more to understand the real potential of the Ultrasoft tire, making its debut in Sochi, rather than to deceive opponents. Apparently, the real difference for Ferrari lies in the second sector, which should be decisive for the race. Mercedes, in three editions raced here in Sochi until today, has given few satisfactions to opponents. Literally. Three pole positions, three victories, two second places. And always leading every lap. A monstrous track record that, seen from this Friday of free practices, now seems at risk. An opposite scenario to that of Ferrari.
The last pole dates back to Singapore 2015. The times to update the statistics seem ripe. Among the many talents of Kimi Raikkonen - ranging from Formula 1 to karaoke - communication is notoriously not one of them. However, the best summary at the end of the practices is his.
"Too bad today was only Friday".
The Finn hisses as he gets out of the car after the second free practice session. The dominance of the Maranello team - only stained by the decision to replace the turbo of both engines, which had already happened in Bahrain - was undisputed in both the first and second practice sessions. And as admitted by Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes at the end of the day:
"There was only one car out there that was really fast".
Indeed, Ferrari unexpectedly found itself playing the role of the favorite: comfortable from the first lap, capable of easily finding the time in every situation, with every type of tire, always ahead. Exactly the opposite of Mercedes, whose drivers struggle in the attempt, often unsuccessful, to put together a complete lap without errors. Only towards the end of the day, Valtteri Bottas, the second driver, manages to complete a long run comparable to that of Ferrari. The difference is visible even to the naked eye, without the need for a stopwatch, which, nevertheless, indicates an advantage of 0.6 seconds. While the two Maranello cars run on stable and well-balanced tracks, the Mercedes show a decidedly more precarious, disjointed setup. At this point, it is necessary to return to Räikkönen’s initial statement and explain that if there is an anomalous day in the circus, it is Friday. With nothing at stake, teams usually use it for various exercises, experimenting with new parts and setups at best, and at worst, they play tricks to confuse opponents by showing performances far from reality. And it is precisely these games that Sebastian Vettel refers to in giving his interpretation of the day.
"The gap between us and Mercedes is artificial. They've hidden themselves. On Fridays, you can use a lot of systems to confuse things, fuel loads, engine mappings. Last year, it seemed like Williams was going to win here, but on Saturday, there was no competition. The truth is that this circuit suits Mercedes. You'll see that in qualifying, they'll be very strong, as usual".
Lewis Hamilton's response speaks volumes about the delicacy of the moment in the World Champions' box, at least from a psychological point of view:
"Vettel is trying to throw smoke in our eyes. We have never hidden; it's pointless. In the past, Ferrari used to do that. But we have never done it. We had a difficult day while Ferrari was fast. That's it".
Who is right? Probably both. While it's true that it's not an ordinary Friday, it's also unrealistic to think that there's a 0.6-second gap between Ferrari and Mercedes per lap when in Bahrain, it was 0.5 seconds in favor of Mercedes. In the end, the most honest analysis seems to be Toto Wolff's.
"We struggle to get the tires to the right temperature for their best performance, while Ferrari does it better. But nothing is compromised; we know where to put our hands, and we will".
On Saturday, April 29, 2017, during the third and final free practice session, Ferrari once again confirms itself as the fastest cars, thanks to the ability to bring the tires to temperature more quickly. Sebastian Vettel is 0.3 seconds ahead of Kimi Räikkönen, while Valtteri Bottas is only a few thousandths behind his fellow countryman; Hamilton is further behind. Behind the top four cars is Max Verstappen, with Felipe Massa in fifth. Jolyon Palmer completes only a few laps: overnight, the French team replaced the chassis, and at the end of the free practice, they decide to replace the power unit as well. From this session onwards, Haas returns to using Brembo brakes. A few hours later, during Q1, Valtteri Bottas sets the fastest time, a second ahead of Sebastian Vettel; Ferrari is the only team in this first phase to use Supersoft tires, while all other drivers opt for Ultrasoft. The other Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, makes a mistake attempting his first fast lap. Later, the Briton places himself second, behind his teammate, ahead of the two Ferraris. Fernando Alonso manages to enter the top 15 in the final moments of the session, partly because, shortly after the session ends but with cars still on track, Pascal Wehrlein spins, and Jolyon Palmer hits the barriers. Yellow flags are displayed, slowing down drivers still looking for sufficient time for Q2. Eliminated are the two Sauber drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne, Jolyon Palmer, and Romain Grosjean. Q2 begins when track marshals are still removing Palmer's crashed Renault, with double yellow flags still waved at that point on the track. In this phase, Bottas is once again the fastest, ahead of Hamilton and the two Ferraris. The other drivers are much further behind: fifth-placed Max Verstappen is over a second adrift. In this phase, the Ferraris start using Ultrasoft tires. The battle for access to the final phase is intense: Esteban Ocon manages to enter the top ten for the first time in his career. Eliminated are the two Toro Rosso drivers, Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen, and Fernando Alonso. Q3 opens with a misunderstanding between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hülkenberg, with the two drivers coming close to an incident. Kimi Räikkönen takes the lead, ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Valtteri Bottas places himself second, while Lewis Hamilton is only fourth.
The other cars remain distant, with the Red Bull Racing cars in fifth and sixth, 1.5 seconds behind. In his last attempt, Kimi Räikkönen makes a mistake in the final part of the track, conceding the pole position to his teammate. A red front row in the Russian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel will start from pole position, followed by his teammate, Kimi Räikkönen. The two Mercedes cars are behind. Both of them. Such a result had not been seen for almost ten years; the last time Ferrari occupied the front row of the grid was in 2008, at the French Grand Prix in Magny-Cours. The drivers were Kimi Räikkönen - the newly crowned World Champion - and Felipe Massa. At the end of that season, the Maranello team won the Constructors' World Championship. But statistics and events (the last pole position was in 2015, in Singapore, 33 races ago) do not fully tell the importance of the result this afternoon, which goes far beyond what can be imagined at first glance. And it has technical, competitive, and psychological implications. Because a pole position snatched with this strength, with this authority over Mercedes (which has built its empire on qualifying), and precisely on one of the circuits where the Anglo-German team was expected to be favored, is something that manages to overturn the sense of an entire season. From now on, the reigning World Champions are no longer safe anywhere. There won't be a single corner where they won't have to struggle to stay ahead. In other words, after catching up with Mercedes, in a chase that appeared desperate just three months earlier, Ferrari has surpassed it, and this can be said regardless of the race result. In the race, it should be noted that Sebastian Vettel's title rival, Lewis Hamilton, will start fourth, behind his teammate, Valtteri Bottas. Speaking of Hamilton, it must be said that the Englishman seems the most uncomfortable driver in this new situation. After getting rid of Nico Rosberg this winter, he finds himself catapulted into an even worse nightmare, with a new, possibly stronger opponent, equipped with a car that has proven superior for long stretches. His driving, as if by enchantment, has suddenly become dirty and nervous; his historical ability to find the lap at the crucial moment of the race seems lost. The moves used by the Maranello team to accomplish the technical miracle admired in Russia, but before today also in the previous races, seem quite clear by now: the engineers have managed to design a perfectly balanced car that has the ability to handle the new Pirelli tires perfectly. The keyword is the usage window.
The tires work best when the car can make them work within a specific temperature range. Ferrari finds that range very quickly and manages to maintain it for a long time. Mercedes struggles. This explains the absolute confidence with the vehicle that Vettel, especially, but also Räikkönen, show every time they hit the track. This explains the words that Sebastian Vettel shouts over the radio after achieving the historic result.
"Driving this car is a pleasure".
This explains Sebastian Vettel's announcement, where he says:
"Yes, Ferrari is back".
After almost ten years.
"The session started quite well. I felt comfortable, but then in Q2, I lost a bit of pace, and in the last attempt, where I wanted to see how it could be in Q3, it went wrong. I locked up, and even in the first Q3 attempt, I didn't go at my best. So I left myself one last lap, knowing it would be a close battle. I knew I was faster than Kimi, so I opened the radio and asked them to tell me what the others had done. Then I learned that Valtteri couldn't improve, and I was on pole, and I was over the moon".
Regarding the all-red front row, missing since the 2008 French Grand Prix, the German driver says:
"It's a great result to have both cars in front. Tomorrow is the most important day, but today we took a first step. Now let's enjoy this moment, but then let's start focusing on tomorrow's race".
Kimi Räikkönen speaks of regret, but the Finn immediately downplays his statements, finally showing satisfaction for a weekend that started on the right foot:
"I'm sorry not to be in front, but it went much better this weekend. I found traffic in the preparation lap in the last sector, and this didn't allow me to warm up the tires, but I got there. I'm still happy compared to previous qualifications. We have all the tools to go ahead; it's a double for the team, really not bad".
And there is evident satisfaction from Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene:
"We are very satisfied, but we must stay calm. Today was a beautiful qualifying, and I am happy because we have an extraordinary car, two extraordinary drivers, and a fantastic team. It's nice to see them smile, but this thing will last little because then we focus on tomorrow's race".
Then he praises Kimi:
"He's not a static driver, be careful. Maybe at the beginning of the year, he struggles a bit to get going, but then when he gets going, he has a heavy foot. Yesterday the guys were saying that the car was a lot of fun for them, and when a driver has fun, it means the car is very good. Thanks to the team, thanks to the fans, but now let's turn the page and think about tomorrow".
Even Lewis Hamilton is in fourth place, preceded also by his teammate Valtteri Bottas:
"The race pace for me was already pretty negative yesterday. While the Ferraris are very fast both in race pace and in the flying lap, let's see how we can measure up with them. We haven't understood what the problem is, or else we would have solved it. Certainly, in the third sector, I lose half a second. Tomorrow the race will be very difficult; I hope the Ferraris won't be very fast so that we can compete with them".
On Sunday, April 30, 2017, during the reconnaissance lap of the Russian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso's McLaren stops at the pit lane entrance. As a result, the procedure is repeated, and the race is shortened by one lap. At the start, Valtteri Bottas manages to pass both Ferraris, taking the lead of the race. Sebastian Vettel is in second place, ahead of his teammate Kimi Räikkönen, who resists Lewis Hamilton's overtaking attempt. Hamilton also defends against the Red Bull Racing cars. On the first lap, Jolyon Palmer and Romain Grosjean make contact, leading to the deployment of the Safety Car. After the restart, the order remains the same, with Bottas leading the Ferraris and Hamilton. During the fifth lap, Daniel Ricciardo slows down due to brake problems and eventually retires while in seventh position. The race continues with Hamilton experiencing power issues in his car. The standings remain unchanged until lap 20 when the front-runners begin their pit stops, starting with Felipe Massa. On lap 27, the race leader pits, and two laps later, Kimi Räikkönen follows suit. As a result, Sebastian Vettel takes the lead with a 19.5-second margin over Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton makes his stop on lap 30, while the German driver attempts to extend his lead over Bottas, only pitting on lap 34. After the pit stops, the standings still show Valtteri Bottas in the lead, with a 4.4-second advantage over Sebastian Vettel, followed by Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen. On lap 37, Valtteri Bottas runs wide in a corner, allowing Sebastian Vettel to close the gap. In the final laps, the German reduces the distance to less than a second. However, during the last lap, Sebastian Vettel comes close to colliding with Felipe Massa during lapping, missing the opportunity to challenge Valtteri Bottas in the last corners of the race. Valtteri Bottas wins the Russian Grand Prix, securing his first career victory, ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, who earns his first podium of the season. Lewis Hamilton finishes fourth, missing a top-three finish for the first time in 2017.
It will take some time, the adrenaline needs to subside, deep breaths must be taken, and the German and Finnish anthems need to finish, but in the end, when Valtteri Bottas's first career victory goes into the books, the Ferrari team will reflect on this narrowly missed Russian Grand Prix as a small triumph. Not only does the result allow Sebastian Vettel (86 points) to increase his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton (73 points), but it also demonstrates that the Ferrari of 2017 is a formidable machine, and to beat it this year, Mercedes will have to perform much better than it has shown so far. Just take a look at the lap times to understand what we're talking about. After dominating practices and qualifying (apparently, Ferrari's engine engineers have perfectly replicated the mechanism of the Mercedes magic button), Ferrari lost by 0.6 seconds in an hour and a half of racing. Nothing. The analysis becomes even more interesting when trying to guess where that extra half-second was lost. Perhaps at the start, where Bottas's move made the difference, setting the entire tactical trend of the race? Or maybe at the pit stop, where something went wrong with the front left tire change for car #5? Or perhaps, again, in the last lap when Vettel lost some time during the not-so-clean lapping of Massa? It's hard to say, but above all, it's pointless. What needs to be considered is that the car had a phenomenal pace throughout the race. Especially when fitted with the Supersoft tires, the ones that Mercedes struggles to decipher, the ones that could define the entire season. The outstanding performance of Valtteri Bottas is even more impressive. Greeted with a thousand doubts at Mercedes, at this crucial moment, the Finn seems to be the only one in the team with a clear understanding of what needs to be done and how. It is indeed thanks to him that the Anglo-German team is one point ahead of the Maranello team in the standings, 136 points against 135.
It was known that this was Mercedes' track, and Bottas did not miss the opportunity. With a monstrous start, on which Ferrari will have to reflect, he passed Räikkönen (on the move) and then Vettel (due to power). From there, he dedicated himself to a shrewd management of the race, won with a very clear strategy: build the advantage in the first part (purple tires) and defend it in the second (red tires). In contrast to this grace, Lewis Hamilton is experiencing a decidedly negative moment in Mercedes. The Englishman literally doesn't understand anything at this stage. He prepared for a season as the sole protagonist, only to find himself in a hellish situation, with a teammate faster than expected and with the Red rivals even ahead. Practically surrounded.
"Something is wrong with the car".
He kept saying throughout the first half of the race, the period in which Bottas built his success. The anomaly was that he couldn't point out what was wrong, but the discomfort was quite evident, perfectly measurable through the significant number of mistakes, both small and large, made throughout the race. Closing in on Kimi Räikkönen: he had a good race, probably, given the pace set by Vettel, he could have done something (not much) more.
"It's fantastic, it's my first victory".
Says Valtteri Bottas on the podium to an enthusiastic Eddie Jordan, acting as the interviewer.
"Thanks to Mercedes, who gave me this opportunity, it was a complicated start to the championship, we had to fight until the end with Ferrari today, and we can't expect to always achieve one-two finishes. Starting from the front row here is not too bad; thanks to the slipstream, I managed to take the inside of the track".
Then, a provocation next to Räikkönen:
"If I will be the next Finnish world champion? It's my only goal, thanks to all the Russian fans".
He gives credit to the opponent Sebastian Vettel:
"Congratulations to Bottas, it's his day today".
In the podium celebration, the German driver pays tribute to his opponent:
"I also had a good start; he had more momentum and a great slipstream, that's where he won the race, then he did a superb stint and made no mistakes".
For his part, Kimi Räikkönen comments on the third place obtained with his Ferrari, the first podium of the season:
"Unfortunately, I could only give the fans a third place; I will try next time. The beginning of the season was far from ideal, but this weekend we took a step forward. I'm happy with how things went, but third place is not our goal. We keep trying, and I'm sure we will get where we want. It will depend on the details; the four fastest cars are close, so everything has to be perfect".
No one in Ferrari will ever admit it. And that's right. But the defeat suffered in Sochi has a very sweet taste, as rarely happens with defeats, especially with those by a small margin. Just look into the azure eyes of Vettel, during the award ceremony, to realize how, seen from there, from the second step of a podium more red than gray, the future of Ferrari is bright and full of promises like never before. Okay, it will be said that the car had the potential to win the race and didn't. It will be said that, in theory, it could even have made a historic one-two finish, and that, in short, it was a great opportunity wasted. But it's a partial truth, tinged with a hint of presumption, which does not take into account many factors, the main one being the unpredictability of such a tight competition, fought on equal terms against a formidable rival like Mercedes and, in particular, against one of the most skilled drivers overall between the curves and corners of the Sochi circuit: Valtteri Bottas. The Finn won his first F1 victory, but here in Sochi, he had always performed well with Williams and had almost always won when competing in lower categories. To better understand that what happened in Sochi was more than a wasted opportunity for Ferrari, it is necessary to go through all the stages of this weekend. Starting from the predictions on Thursday. Mercedes appeared here as the great favorite. The Russian track, by its nature, favors powerful engines, prevents overtaking, and flattens strategies. Ferrari, as demonstrated in the last race in Bahrain, is at a disadvantage in qualifying due to the engine and, if it has any chance of recovery, it usually relies on strategy. In short, on paper, there was no competition. However, when the engines started, reality told a different story. Relying on an almost miraculous balance, the SF70H sowed panic in all the free practice sessions, demonstrating in the decisive phase of qualifying on Saturday that it had learned the lesson about the magic button and had reached Mercedes even in what seemed to be its specialty. Then came the race. Ferrari lost it at the start when Bottas was the most aggressive, easily surpassing Räikkönen (starting from the dirty side), and then overpowering Vettel. And this, if we want to be picky, is the only true negative of the weekend, the only moment when Mercedes proved to be slightly superior. Because the overtaking on the German was all about power.
"To tell the truth, on that occasion, I also had a bit of a headwind (while Bottas took advantage of the slipstream, note) that can cost you up to 15 horsepower less".
In fact, the race ended there. Vettel tried everything to return to the first position, but between the not bad pace of the #77 Mercedes and Bottas's skill in compensating for the car's deficits, especially in the second and third sectors, there was no way. But, as mentioned, it was not a negative result at all. Not even arithmetically: Lewis Hamilton's acknowledged racing crisis, combined with Kimi Räikkönen’s decent performance, relegated the Englishman to fourth place.
"If they had proposed such a result the day before, we would have signed it without a doubt".
Confesses Ferrari's men that evening. And it's worth believing them. Having brilliantly overcome what seemed to be a gigantic obstacle, now Ferrari is called to repeat it in two weeks in Barcelona, the circuit of revelation where the SF70H showed its first steps, immediately showing incredible comfort. Lewis Hamilton's situation, on the other hand, is a real crisis. Starting with the label of the favorite for the World Championship victory, after just four races, he finds himself in an unthinkable situation. He had mentally prepared for an easy comeback year. Instead, after four races, he is in the trenches. And he sees enemies everywhere. Ahead are the Ferraris with their devilish pace, alongside a teammate who increasingly resembles the classic wolf in sheep's clothing. But the worst thing for Lewis is that at the moment, he can't even rely on what has always been his main certainty: his talent. Like all drivers, Hamilton also needs a minimum of confidence with the car to try to make a difference. And at the moment, the relationship with the W08 is at an all-time low.
"After a few laps, I was already in fourth place, meaning that my race was over, and I had finished fourth. I was so much in fourth place that while driving, I spent the last twenty laps watching on the big screens by the track the battle between Vettel and Bottas. And I must say that Valtteri did a fantastic job".
Beyond what is halfway between a joke and a hysterical outburst, there are numerous technical problems. In Sochi, the car overheated too much, especially during attacks on Räikkönen. But since the beginning of the year, Hamilton has been complaining about not being able to work with the rear tires (especially the Supersofts):
"The rear slides, and I struggle with corner entry. From the fifth lap, I had to slow down to maintain the fourth position, I lost many power unit settings, and at times, I had a cylinder cut related to the increase in temperatures".
The true potential of the Mercedes is still a mystery. While the performance of the Ferrari SF70H is very linear and constant, and therefore somewhat measurable, the same cannot be said for the Mercedes. Due to the various visible technical problems it has had, it is not yet possible to say exactly where the W08 stands. Just think that despite all the difficulties demonstrated in this early stage of the season, Hamilton and Bottas have won two Grand Prix, half of those contested, occasionally showing terrifying performances, like a dominant car, such as the Englishman's last stint in Bahrain or the killer move by the Finn at the start (immediately followed by a dozen very fast laps). The impression, in short, is that when - and if - Mercedes manages to solve its tire reading problems, it will make a decent leap forward. Valtteri Bottas is proving to be a smart choice. After a rather uncertain start, the Finn has found extraordinary serenity and mental solidity, proving to everyone that Toto Wolff - in the dual role of his manager and team principal - was right this winter when he chose him to replace Nico Rosberg. The truth is that the Finnish temperament had deceived everyone a bit, even those who had always appreciated his talent and undeniable speed. Among them is Niki Lauda, who now laughs with that wicked laugh that only he has:
"He surprised me. I was convinced that Ferrari would win, and instead, Bottas was extraordinary. He resisted with incredible mental strength Vettel's attack, winning his first career race, which - believe me, I know from personal experience - is the most difficult in a driver's history. I still remember mine. The day after, Emerson (Fittipaldi, ed.) called me and said: The next ones will be much easier. Which is what I told Valtteri yesterday after the race. And he was right".
But Bottas's growth can be both an opportunity and a problem for Mercedes. On one hand, recovering a driver to the cause, in such a balanced season, can be decisive; on the other hand, it could risk complicating Hamilton's life further, both psychologically and in terms of the standings (he needs everything, except a teammate who takes away points). Ferrari has caught up with Mercedes even in qualifying. One of the decisive moments of the Russian weekend was the start of Q3, the decisive phase for the pole position race. When the mechanics started the engines of the Ferrari drivers' cars, the box was invaded by thick smoke: it was the combustion of oil mixed with gasoline. It had never happened. Not to that extent. In the weeks before, the FIA had announced the ban from 2018 on the game of mixing lubricant with fuel to obtain a kind of overboost in qualifying (the explanation is a bit crude, technically, but it gives an idea). Interpreting that ban from 2018 as a definitive green light for 2017 for a decidedly borderline practice, Ferrari's engine builders quickly caught up with the competition, which from now on, in qualifying, is much less frightening. The fact remains that Kimi Räikkönen needs to do more. The race of the Finn was not bad at all, all things considered. Especially good was the start, on the dirty side of the track. Ferrari knew well what those from Mercedes would try to do, but while Sebastian Vettel immediately felt powerless against Valtteri Bottas's acceleration, Kimi Räikkönen held on, bringing home a very useful result both for the Constructors' World Championship and for the Drivers' World Championship. However, the Ferrari he had at his disposal would have allowed him to keep another pace, as Kimi himself showed, alternating good moments with bad ones. This time it went well because Hamilton was watching the Sochi race on the circuit's big screens. But inconsistency is a luxury that the Finn will hardly be able to afford in the future. Finally, it must be said that behind the resurgence of Ferrari, there are not only the talent and ideas of Italian engineers.
But also a more subtle political strategy that has relied on the great revolution that Formula 1 is experiencing: one of the reasons for the success of the Maranello team is indeed in the farewell of Bernie Ecclestone and in the consequent redistribution of power in the Circus. It is no secret that the old English boss was not simply the holder of the commercial and TV rights of F1 but the real dominus, the man who controlled all the levers of the business, including the regulatory one. And here comes into play the historic race director of F1, the Englishman Charlie Whiting. While working for the FIA, Whiting has always had a direct relationship with Ecclestone, so much so as to be accused of writing deliberately interpretable regulations and bending them, where possible, to the interests of the old boss. Whether this accusation was true or not, it is a fact that, as soon as Bernie Ecclestone was ousted, Jean Todt, the president of the FIA who became the strong man of Formula 1, saw fit to accompany Charlie Whiting with two young, very skilled engineers, Marcin Budkowski and Laurent Mekies. It would have been they who imposed on Whiting the noticeable turning point of this year. At the beginning of the season, the FIA imposed rules that were not interpretable but simple and certain. And so, when Ferrari's famous clarification letter on the intelligent suspensions designed by Mercedes and Red Bull arrived, it found a very different response from the past:
"Suspensions must be suspensions, and that's it. Otherwise, they have to be removed".
Said the Federation before the Barcelona tests, forcing Ferrari's rivals to review their plans at the last minute. The images transmitted by television, with Mercedes struggling to find the right setup on Friday and finishing the corner practically on three wheels, tell the rest of the story.