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Fernando Alonso had said: let's complete the work. Right after the triumph in Germany, looking ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix. This is the same objective set by Ferrari's team principal, Stefano Domenicali. Four days before the event at the Hungaroring circuit, the head of Ferrari's sports management outlines the team's ambitions, aiming to reach the mid-season break of the F1 World Championship with another good result. This would allow the Spanish driver, leading the Drivers' World Championship, to increase the gap from competitors. Domenicali also evaluates the 2012 World Championship at its halfway point.
"It would be wonderful to finish this first part of the season with a larger advantage than we have now. How many are still in contention for the title? Given what has happened in the championship, five or six drivers, including Hamilton, despite having over 60 points behind, and also Button, need to be closely marked".
Meanwhile, in Maranello, Luca Montezemolo urges not to lower their guard:
"Perhaps our rivals did not expect, after a difficult start to the season, a Ferrari capable of returning so strongly, but now they will redouble their efforts to beat us".
And, in a meeting with all employees to celebrate the victory in Hockenheim, he says he is even more concerned than he was after Valencia.
"I see very strong opponents, a McLaren that has made great progress, a very strong Red Bull, a Sauber that had a race pace equal to ours, and a Lotus that is very strong at times. Therefore, we need to be very careful ahead of the Budapest race. We must remain highly focused - Montezemolo warns - and continue in the effort to continually improve".
Stefano Domenicali also speaks about the opponents: according to the team principal, the situation at the Hungaroring should not be much different from what was seen in Hockenheim.
"From a technical point of view, I can imagine seeing a situation similar to Germany, with a McLaren back to being very competitive and a Red Bull as strong as ever. Then, there are closely matched cars like Lotus and Sauber".
In any case, the F2012 on the track in Budapest will feature some modifications.
"There will be some novelties; we will try to better test some updates, and if the tests are positive, we will use them in the race".
Domenicali then gives grades to his team, which, after a difficult start due to performance delays, managed to bounce back from Melbourne onwards, putting Fernando Alonso in a good position to lead the mid-season standings of the World Championship.
"After ten races, thinking about where we were in Australia when the team's grade was definitely below passing, I believe the team, for how it reacted, deserves a seven: it deserves it for how it reacted and for how it is preparing for the rest of the season".
Yet, the Maranello car is not yet the fastest on the grid.
"The goal of an F2012 faster than all must remain the objective. From a performance standpoint, one must never think that the level remains stable. I believe there is work to be done in all areas: we must work on aerodynamic load, speed, and then we must keep a high focus on the performance aspect of starts. Finally, reliability, which, for me, will make the difference at the end of the World Championship".
The team principal of the Maranello-based team concludes by talking about the contrasting memories evoked by the Hungarian Grand Prix: those related to the terrible 2009 accident involving Felipe Massa and the great successes achieved by Michael Schumacher.
"Every time Felipe returns to Budapest, he cannot help but think of that particular Saturday. It is clear that, looking back at Budapest with a clear mind, the unforgettable victories we experienced in those years remain something indelible in our memory, for those who lived them and in the memory of our fans".
Three consecutive podiums, two victories, and a second place in the recent races, coupled with two consecutive pole positions. The on-track results have strengthened Ferrari's ambitions, and Fernando Alonso's determination has played a crucial role. However, the Spaniard continues with a policy of modesty.
"We are only halfway through the season. We are in a good position in terms of points, considering what we have collected in the first half of the season. We are only halfway through, and there are still ten Grand Prix races: everyone has the same chances, bridging the gap between the top 5-6 in the standings is not impossible. With a couple of positive results, you can reach the top. That's why we need to maintain focus and get the maximum from every weekend, be it a podium or maybe a fifth place".
With a 34-point lead over the closest pursuer, Australian Mark Webber, avoiding mistakes is crucial.
"We cannot afford errors. We must be consistent, although it is too early to think about any specific goals. McLaren, Red Bull, Lotus, and Mercedes are there. Everyone is in the race. We need to wait. For me, the third title would be a dream. Now or in six years. The third World Championship would be important; I would equal Ayrton Senna, who has always been an idol and a reference point for me since my karting days. Three is a nice number; let's hope it materializes".
The main rival of the Maranello team, Red Bull Racing, must modify the mapping of its engines. This change could impact the performance of the Anglo-Austrian cars.
"For us, nothing changes. We will have the same car used in Silverstone and Hockenheim".
Following controversies about the mapping of the Renault engine of Red Bull Racing, which led to the exclusion of the cars from the German Grand Prix (later revoked), the FIA decided to clarify the relevant rule. Red Bull had reduced the torque at medium speeds to power exhaust blowing, enhancing the car's grip. This was achieved by inducing post-combustion of the fuel-air mixture in the exhaust. The FIA chose not to restrict the engine's advance but set limits on the torque variation at different rotation speeds. The tolerance is set at 2% for speeds above 6.000 RPM. On Friday, July 27, 2012, McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button set the two fastest times. Fernando Alonso, third in the standings, was 0.576 seconds behind. In the first practice session, Dani Clos replaced Narain Karthikeyan at HRT, Valtteri Bottas replaced Bruno Senna at Williams, and Jules Bianchi replaced Nico Hülkenberg at Force India.
Lotus reintroduced the modified DRS in Hungary, already tested during the German Grand Prix practices. However, the Federation decided to prohibit the use of DRS as a secondary control for other car functions from 2013. The second session was characterized by a fast-moving storm halfway through the expected time, allowing drivers to test intermediate tires. Before the rain arrived, Lewis Hamilton broke the 1'22"0 limit. Kimi Räikkönen followed in second place, and Bruno Senna in third, while Romain Grosjean and Michael Schumacher had track excursions with impacts against the barriers. Will Lewis Hamilton redeem himself on the Hungaroring circuit? It's too early to say, but this is the first indication after the two Friday free practice sessions ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the eleventh race of the Formula 1 World Championship. After leading in the morning session, Lewis Hamilton set a record time in the afternoon session, 1'21"995. This time, however, his teammate Jenson Button did not take the second position, but it was the Finnish Kimi Raikkonen with Lotus Renault. In the afternoon, the drivers took to the track under bright sunshine, but as the minutes passed, clouds obscured the sky, and in the second half of the practice, a fast rain shower influenced the final result. The surprising Bruno Senna closed with an excellent - and unexpected - third time with the Williams, 0.258 seconds behind the McLaren of the British driver. The two Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso followed. The competitiveness of the Maranello cars seems to be confirmed on the Budapest track, but Saturday's session will be more clarifying in this regard. After the sudden rain, Ferrari drivers tested intermediate tires, conducting pit stop and start practice. In the morning, Fernando Alonso had set the third time, while Felipe Massa had finished in seventh place.
The Brazilian had compared different aerodynamic configurations, and unlike his teammate - with whom he had tested the new wings introduced at Hockenheim - Felipe Massa had initially focused on studying the behavior of the front wing using a pressure sensor. Both were on Medium tires. Returning to the afternoon events, the other McLaren, driven by Jenson Button, followed in sixth place, 0.752 seconds behind his teammate. The two Red Bull Racing cars, currently Ferrari's main rivals, lagged behind in this first day of practice, although Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel were 34 and 44 points behind, respectively. In the morning, the Australian finished thirteenth, and in the afternoon, fourteenth, 1.819 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton. The German driver, on the other hand, could only manage the fifteenth position in the first practice session and eighth at the end of the second session, with a gap of 0.829 seconds. The Red Bull Racing box does not show serene faces, as this track has been a conquest ground for cars designed by Adrian Newey in recent years. Kimi Raikkonen continues to receive positive news, second with his Lotus. The Finnish driver has climbed to fourth place in the Driver's World Championship, trailing Fernando Alonso by 56 points. However, there is still work to be done for Mercedes. Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg finished in tenth and eleventh positions, and mechanics will have to do extra work to repair the W03 of the seven-time World Champion, who went off track due to aquaplaning with intermediate tires and collided with the barriers at turn 14. Fernando Alonso's performances worry rival teams, and many now openly consider him the top contender for the World Championship, starting with Jenson Button, who says:
"Recovering and overcoming will be very difficult".
Continuing with Lewis Hamilton, who dreams of triumph in Hungary:
"At Hockenheim, we showed up with half a new car, I like this version B, now we are able to fight for the victory".
But looking ahead, he is concerned:
"Because I retired twice already, threw away a lot of points, while Alonso never makes mistakes".
Only the Red Bull Racing team refuses to join in the celebration of the Spaniard, who on Sunday, July 29, 2012, will turn 31 and hopes to achieve his 31st career victory. Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber announce a fierce battle, yet - restrained by the new rule on engine mapping, after risking condemnation in Germany - the two drivers of the Anglo-Austrian team seem to be the most in crisis. Mark Webber wears a funeral expression:
"One of the worst Fridays since I've been driving this car".
And Sebastian Vettel doesn't seem much happier, summarizing his day with a laconic:
"There is a lot of work to do".
The two give the impression of struggling, but they don't give up. And, of course, Fernando Alonso absolutely doesn't trust either of them, more focused than ever on the possibility of increasing his lead. The Spanish driver says:
"We are all very close, and these tests in Budapest, influenced by the rain, didn't reveal much. I feel in good shape, the car is good, but winning the pole won't be easy. Of course, it would be precious because here it's worth half a victory like in Monaco".
It is crucial; not even tires and new rules will make overtaking easy on this narrow and tortuous track, and he has the cards to achieve his third consecutive win. He admits it himself:
"I've never felt this fit; I think I'm at the top of my career".
And the Ferrari team recognizes it, more than ever under his command. On Friday night, inside the Maranello team's box, it was up to Hamashima, former Bridgestone, the tire expert, to glorify him. Arriving this year, the Japanese technician pronounces:
"I may have a small part in the progress, but most of it is all Alonso's. No one better than him knows how to understand the functioning of the tires, interpret, and implement strategies. You ask him something, and he does it perfectly".
On Saturday, July 28, 2012, the third practice session confirms the balance among the most competitive cars: a remarkable fourteen drivers finish within one second. Mark Webber sets the fastest time, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. A few hours later, Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest time in Q1, while the two Red Bull Racing cars use only Medium tires and remain in the lower parts of the rankings, despite qualifying for the second phase. The two Caterhams of Heikki Kovalainen and Vitalij Petrov, the two Marussias of Charles Pic and Timo Glock, the two HRTs of Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Kartikeyan, and Daniel Ricciardo are eliminated. Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest time in Q2 as well. In this phase, Sebastian Vettel risks elimination before managing to set the third-best time. His teammate, Mark Webber, is eliminated along with the two Saubers of Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi, the two Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, Paul di Resta, and Jean-Éric Vergne. Also, in the decisive phase, Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest lap, followed by Romain Grosjean, Jenson Button, and Kimi Räikkönen. Sebastian Vettel makes only one attempt at the end of Q3 but doesn't go beyond the third-best time. No driver manages to beat Lewis Hamilton's time, who, in the last attempt, sets an even lower time. It's the third pole position of the season for the Englishman.
Frenchman Romain Grosjean, driving for Lotus, sets the second time and completes the front row on the grid. The Red Bull Racing of German Sebastian Vettel takes the third position, alongside the McLaren-Mercedes of Englishman Jenson Button. Fifth place for the Lotus of Finnish Kimi Raikkonen, followed by the Ferrari of Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who completes the third row. Seventh position on the grid for the Ferrari of Brazilian Felipe Massa. Behind the driver from the Maranello team will line up the Williams of Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado and Brazilian Bruno Senna. The Force India of German Nico Hulkenberg completes the top ten, which stands out for the notable absences of Mark Webber and the Mercedes of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. The Australian driver of Red Bull Racing, as mentioned, was eliminated in the second qualifying session and has to settle for the eleventh position. Given the results of the practice sessions, Fernando Alonso has no choice but to hope for rain to try to climb the rankings and possibly aim for victory:
"It went quite well. The sixth position is good, and Webber starts eleventh. We know that it won't be easy to overtake here given the characteristics of the track; the qualifications matter quite a bit here. It may rain, and if it happens, then everything can change. If it rains, we should be ready to take advantage of every opportunity. Now it's very hot; if it doesn't rain, tire management would be crucial".
Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, will start in pole position with the ambition of winning the Hungarian Grand Prix:
"I always go in search of the perfect lap: when I achieve it, the sensations are always special. We've been strong since the beginning of the weekend, and missing the pole position would have been very disappointing. There are no secrets; we're all in the same situation. You have to keep a cool head and manage tire wear. Strategy will be crucial, and it will be interesting to evaluate tire degradation".
Lewis Hamilton has matched Fernando Alonso in career pole positions, twenty-two. Now, Hamilton hopes to catch up with him in the championship standings. Not in Budapest, given the 62-point gap, but in the upcoming races, now that he is convinced he has the right car. The joy of securing pole position in Hungary intoxicates him, and the British driver does nothing to hide his optimism.
"The car felt fantastic from the first kilometers; my team did a great job, and the performance improvement has been huge; everything seems to be working wonderfully".
Hamilton is euphoric but realistic.
"This is my track; I can't afford to make mistakes. I'm not saying it's my last chance, but if I waste this opportunity, I risk saying goodbye to the World Championship. I have to win; I have no alternatives".
Fernando Alonso, in his own way, tries to stay positive. He finished sixth, not an outstanding result, yet he doesn't dramatize.
"I'm not surprised; it's the result we expected in these weather conditions. Unfortunately, on Saturdays when it's very hot, we are still the fourth car. We could have finished seventh or even ninth or twelfth if Mercedes, Williams, and Force India were faster. Considering that we always gain something in the race, this result is fine with me. If we were to finish fourth or fifth, in terms of the championship, those would be very valuable points".
These aren't Alonso's words; he doesn't want to lose even when playing cards. Perhaps there is a strategic plan or a desire to keep the locker room calm in exaggerating the limits of the Ferrari.
Certainly, the Ferrari, which seemed more competitive than ever until Q2, suffered a lack of grip in the decisive battle, worsening the times for both the Spaniard and his teammate, Felipe Massa, who finished seventh. This may have surprised Fernando Alonso, who will now have to defend in the race, ready to collect as many points as possible on a circuit where overtaking is difficult, given the countless number of curves. The Spaniard is good at calculations and is content to see his closest rival, Mark Webber, lost in the rear, forced to comment on an eleventh-place finish. The Australian can't explain this sudden drop in performance:
"We couldn't be fast; I don't understand why".
But it doesn't help his image that Sebastian Vettel, with the same car, finished the qualifying in third place, giving life to the joke:
"After signing the new contract, Webber seems much more contracted".
Jokes aside, it certainly went wrong in Hockenheim, and he risks playing a cameo role in Hungary as well. Even Sebastian Vettel, however, can't rejoice.
"The car's performance is inconsistent, a perpetual up and down, and these qualifiers have been quite complicated. I hope to start well and overtake Grosjean at the first corner, but I don't know what to expect from my Red Bull in the race. We struggle to find the right balance; my car has never been so unstable".
Better for Fernando Alonso, even though Sebastian Vettel will still be someone to chase. One must also be careful of the two Lotus drivers, Romain Grosjean, delighted with the second position, and Kimi Raikkonen, starting from fifth. For Fernando Alonso, a Sunday of hard work is looming, but he is ready. And given the circumstances, if it's a podium, it will be talked about as a new achievement. Or at least a World Championship getting closer. On Sunday, July 29, 2012, Michael Schumacher's Mercedes remained stationary on the grid at the end of the reconnaissance lap. Due to this, the starting procedure was repeated with an additional reconnaissance lap, reducing the race from 70 to 69 laps. The German driver started from the pit lane. At the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton held the lead, followed by Romain Grosjean. Sebastian Vettel was third, followed by Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, who overtook Kimi Räikkönen at the start. Jenson Button secured third place at the third turn. Mark Webber also had a good start, moving up to seventh place. Webber was the only one among the top eleven drivers to use Medium tires. In the early laps, Lewis Hamilton and Romain Grosjean maintained a better pace than their pursuers. Later, on lap 16, Jenson Button pitted for a tire change. After the pit stop, Fernando Alonso returned to the track but found himself behind Sergio Pérez, who had not yet pitted, losing time to overtake the Mexican driver. At the end of the first round of pit stops, where Romain Grosjean, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Räikkönen were the only ones to switch to Soft tires again, the standings still showed Lewis Hamilton in the lead, followed by Romain Grosjean, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Räikkönen, who overtook Fernando Alonso. In this phase of the race, with the Soft tires, Romain Grosjean tended to close in on Lewis Hamilton. On lap 34, Jenson Button made his second pit stop. The British driver opted for Soft tires, hinting at a third pit stop. After changing tires, Lewis Hamilton lost the lead to Kimi Räikkönen. However, when the Finn pitted on lap 44 to switch to Hard tires, he re-entered the track as Romain Grosjean approached and, with a well-executed maneuver, retained the second position behind Lewis Hamilton. At the same time, Jenson Button made his third stop. Sebastian Vettel was now fourth, followed by Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso. In the following laps, Kimi Räikkönen tried to close in on Lewis Hamilton but never seriously threatened him.
On lap 55, Mark Webber switched to Medium tires and dropped to eighth place, while Sebastian Vettel pitted on lap 57, maintaining fourth place. Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix, followed by Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean. Sebastian Vettel finished the race in fourth place, followed by Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Bruno Senna, Mark Webber, Felipe Massa, and Nico Hulkenberg. It was an incredible race for Lewis Hamilton: leading from start to finish in a sprint-like race, constantly pushing to fend off the attacks from the two Lotus drivers who took turns trying to challenge him. Despite the immense pressure, Hamilton made no mistakes, securing victory in the seemingly uneventful Hungarian Grand Prix, where overtaking is nearly impossible, and cars finish more or less where they started. This fact, unfortunately, detracts from the beauty of Hamilton's performance. Nevertheless, it was a great race for the Lotus team, who, despite their efforts, fell just short of victory. First with Romain Grosjean, then with Kimi Raikkonen, who, after the last tire change, re-entered the track with determination (perhaps too much), forcefully passing his teammate and launching into a frantic pursuit of Hamilton. A futile pursuit, of course, as overtaking is prohibited in Hungary. One thing is certain, though. Whether in Budapest or not, if Kimi Raikkonen had started a bit further up the grid, victory would not have eluded him. He was consistently fast and raced at a qualifying pace. It seems like the Iceman of the good old days is truly back. Behind the two Lotus drivers, the reigning World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, secured his position, attempting a risky third pit stop towards the end of the race to challenge for the podium. Although the strategy did not yield the desired result, Vettel deserves appreciation for injecting some excitement into the otherwise dull Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso finished behind him, followed by Jenson Button, Bruno Senna, Mark Webber, Massa, and Rosberg. This classification further extends the advantage for the Spanish Ferrari driver, who now has a 40-point lead over Mark Webber, second in the standings with 124 points. Sebastian Vettel is third with 122 points. Once again, Fernando Alonso has reason to celebrate. Now, the Spaniard goes on vacation (the World Championship resumes on September 2, 2012, with the Belgian Grand Prix) with a smile on his face.
"Seeing that Webber was starting from the back, I wanted to keep him behind. I tried not to lose too many points to the others. With Vettel, we were lucky because we only lost one position, while Hamilton was untouchable. The recent races have been influenced by rain, which favored us; in dry conditions, we had struggled even before. We know that Red Bull, McLaren, and Lotus are faster, and we have changes to make for the upcoming races. I think we need to be focused, not worried; we need to go on vacation knowing that what we have in hand is not enough to win the championship. Forty points are a lot, we have a good opportunity, but only if we can find more speed".
Lewis Hamilton, interviewed directly on the podium at the end of the race, expressed himself briefly:
"It's a fantastic day, excellent teamwork, great pit stops, I'm really happy".
Kimi Raikkonen remains true to himself and keeps a serious expression:
"I came in second, and it's still not enough. I had problems with the car in the early laps, but the speed was there. I won't be happy until we return to winning. Next time, we'll try to win; now we're well-placed in the championship too".
A great race for Lotus-Renault and Romain Grosjean, who finished on the lowest step of the podium despite being overtaken by his teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, in the exit from the pit stop.
"It was a fantastic race. I tried to fight for the win, getting both cars back on the podium is what we wanted. A tough race, we came close to victory, hoping to win in the future".
Divide and conquer. Who knows if Fernando Alonso knows the password of ancient Romans. Surely, that's what he thinks because if on a Sunday of struggle, where he has to drag his Ferrari and bless a fifth place, he manages to leave Budapest with even more points advantage in the standings, it means that this could really be the good year. The others are hungry; in Budapest, it was Lewis Hamilton's turn to triumph with his McLaren, putting the final seal on a dominance that started on Friday. However, they divide the glory and the stage, risking to play into the hands of Fernando Alonso, ruthless when he has to be and rational when needed, always able to get the best out of his car and his Grand Prix, as happened in Budapest. On a track where he was slower, where Ferrari could only defend itself at the start and in lower tire consumption, where it lacked sufficient speed, traction, and grip, where there was no way to get close to the unattainable Lewis Hamilton, but not even to keep up with the two Lotuses of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. It could have been a Sunday of anonymous appearance (a role once again played by Felipe Massa, suicidal at the start and ninth at the finish), and yet the Spaniard managed to precede the faster Jenson Button and Mark Webber, with the latter finishing in eighth position and ultimately erupting against his team, Red Bull Racing, guilty of ruining his race with a poor strategy, three pit stops that ultimately cost him three positions. While Fernando Alonso celebrates his 31st birthday in the Ferrari garage with a giant cake and a gap on the second in the standings that for a driver of the Maranello team has not been so large since 2004, the atmosphere inside the Red Bull Racing box is thicker than ever, as even Sebastian Vettel does not rejoice over fourth place, unhappy with the tactics and himself, as he was outsmarted by Jenson Button at the start and almost never managed to keep up with the two Lotuses. The most dangerous enemies of recent history don't seem to be having a good time, unlike the McLaren team, which is now marching towards victory. Lewis Hamilton, however, despite the 47-point gap from Fernando Alonso, says that the comeback is possible:
"With the car I had here in Budapest, nothing is forbidden; it was simply fantastic. The two Lotuses put a lot of pressure on me, but I didn't make any mistakes, and I pulled through".
For Kimi Raikkonen, who finished second, the blame lies with this track where overtaking is impossible and his KERS that started working only in the second part of the race. Romain Grosjean also complains, having lost time while lapping Michael Schumacher and having to yield to his teammate. The fact remains that once again, Lotus seemed unable to capitalize on its potential. No matter, they still took points away from others. As Fernando Alonso says: You can share the glory, I'll take care of leading.
"What are those sad faces?"
Fernando Alonso anticipates and is the one to ask the first question. There is no sadness, but how can the Spaniard smile about a fifth-place finish?
"He can, when he knows he has the fourth-best car in terms of performance, inferior here to McLaren, Red Bull Racing, and Lotus. On an equal playing field, we should have finished seventh. If we placed fifth, it's thanks to my team's experience, the well-executed strategy, and the fact that we managed to optimize everything again. Button and Webber were much faster than us; it's incredible that we finished ahead of them".
After the triumph in Germany, however, there was talk of Ferrari as the strongest car.
"We never said that. It can be in certain weather conditions. It's amazing that after eleven races, I have 40 more points than Webber, 42 more than Vettel, 47 more than Hamilton. That's the abnormal thing, not our fifth place".
Is this advantage securing for you?
"I never thought that, and I'd be a fool to believe it. It's a significant margin but not enough. We need another step forward; I expect it from the next race in Spa. We have a clear idea; we know what we need in the car".
Who do you fear the most?
"Vettel and Hamilton, although I don't underestimate anyone. Lewis won, and Vettel only took two more points than me; that's fine".
Aside from the limited damage, what remains for you from this race?
"A good start, having used the tires sparingly like Lotus, and the usual applause for reliability: we've scored points for twenty-three races; it can't be a coincidence. I have an indestructible car".