Lewis Hamilton warns Nico Rosberg. Three races from the end, the British driver is trailing his teammate by 26 points, but he has no intention of giving up, especially after his success in Austin.
"The moment you give up is the moment you lose. I've never been one to give up, and I won't start now. It was great to get the 50th victory after a couple of tough weekends. I continue to stay positive, avoiding dwelling on the past. I knew that by working hard and training, the results would come. There are still many points at stake, and anything is possible. The next stop is Mexico. Last year was a great experience, and even though the race was a bit frustrating for me, I enjoyed it. Hopefully, this time will be better".
On the other hand, Nico Rosberg maintains a low profile:
"On Sunday, I was convinced I had a good chance to win, but it didn't work out. I can only accept it and think about Mexico, where my goal is to try to finish first, as in every race. It's nice to be at this point in the season fighting for the title, but my approach is to keep things simple. Many things can happen during a weekend that are beyond your control, so the best thing is to focus on your own work. And so far, that has worked best for me".
Aware of being very close to that zero victories, which they haven't experienced since 1993, a record even worse than the embarrassing seven titles evening, a summary of the futile search for a World Championship that has lasted nine years for the Maranello team, Ferrari arrives in Mexico with few aspirations for success. The aspiration for victory is now the monopoly of Mercedes, Rosberg, with the first championship match ball (he must win and hope that Hamilton retires or finishes worse than ninth), and his English teammate, but with at least the desire to reach the podium. Vettel, only once on the podium in the last ten Grands Prix, appears increasingly disheartened. Asked to admit that Ferrari has regressed in development this year, he replies caustically:
"My task is to drive the car, not to judge the team's steps forward. Of course, the season has been disappointing, the numbers say so. I risk going from three victories to zero, although I still hope to finish ahead of everyone, at least in Brazil, a track more suited to us. It hasn't been a happy year, but we must not give up, never, nor must we surrender. We must continue to see Red Bull as a reference point, since now we have to fight with them, and Mercedes as a model, which sooner or later we must be able to reach".
He is also asked if he is the one who has gone backward, given that his season has not been impeccable, but Vettel prefers to avoid any personalization. Like when he talks about Arrivabene, the team principal. Ecclestone claims he is too alone and should be helped (he recently underwent an impressive air raid, with a long journey from Austin to Italy, a quick technical meeting on Tuesday morning, and then the departure from Maranello to Mexico on Wednesday), but Vettel disagrees:
"It's not true that he's alone; he has a close-knit working group around him. He works very hard, puts a lot of pressure on what he does, but he has the necessary support".
This is to say that he is not abandoned, but also that not everything must be attributed, for better or for worse, to him.
"Arrivabene has many responsibilities, but the team is not just him; it consists of 1300 people".
And so, by analogy, one could think that not all the blame for this disastrous year falls solely on him.
Vettel himself tries to find the energy to finish in a dignified manner.
"Here too, we have brought some developments, and we hope to do better than last year".
Where, despite a good qualification, he crashed during the race, involving Raikkonen in his disaster, upset by the poor grip and forced to end prematurely due to the accident. This time, Vettel wants the podium.
"Even though I realize that this too can be considered a feat, considering that we have rarely experienced it lately".
Where he doesn't let the opportunity slip is in the comment on the world championship battle between Rosberg and Hamilton.
"I would prefer Nico to win, he's German like me. And then this way Lewis couldn't join the club of drivers who have won four world titles".
An exclusive circle that he can, in fact, be a part of. That said, Vettel sees Rosberg as a great favorite.
"Because he's a very experienced driver, and that's an absolute advantage".
Only a crazy race could put him in difficulty, and on this matter, Vettel also shares his thoughts on the controversy over the use of the Virtual Safety Car instead of the normal safety car on the track.
"I understand the fan's reasoning; they always want the real Safety car so that the group regroups, and everything starts all over again. It's more exciting for the spectacle, but for a driver, if you're leading the race, it can be a tragedy. The real one disrupts everything; the virtual one can leave things as they are and save you. After all, there's a limit to the twists: in a marathon, you don't shoot someone's leg who's in the lead to make the race more exciting".
Reasoning that doesn't affect Kimi Raikkonen, as always a man of few words. He has performed better this year than the past season and attributes it to a combination of factors.
"The car is better, I feel more comfortable, the feeling has increased. It's a matter of details; they have been more favorable than in the past".
Regarding the Mexican Grand Prix, however, he is disarming:
"I don't know what to expect; last year we had no grip, and the lack of grip, beyond the race incidents, penalized us. Hopefully, it will go better now".
As for the battle between Rosberg and Hamilton:
"The one leading has great confidence in himself. The ideal would be to enter the last race already as the champion and with a significant advantage. Rosberg is almost there this season; the margin is large. Only he can lose the title".
On Thursday, October 27, 2016, Lewis Hamilton arrives at the circuit wearing a conspicuous sombrero. A tribute to a Mexico he has never conquered in his career, as for his generation, they only race here for the second time, and last year, fresh from his third world title, Hamilton had to make way for his rival Rosberg. He appears relaxed and smiling, although aware that he absolutely cannot make a mistake, having only one chance, victory, the only path that can keep his hopes of a championship comeback alive. The Englishman knows his task well but doesn't seem to be trembling. Meanwhile, he can't resist his social media passion, and this time, just to be allowed to hold his phone, he starts taking pictures of all the journalists in front of him. Then, without even waiting for questions, he gets straight to the point:
"There are three races left, and I have nothing to lose. My approach to the Grand Prix, however, will be the same as always. If you want, there's a difference: I'm more relaxed, I needed the triumph in Austin; I really needed to break that damn winning drought that lasted for more than two months. Now I'm focused and ready to give my best, focused on the idea of not making mistakes, which I cannot afford. I won't take more risks than usual (if he were to retire and Rosberg were to win, he would bid farewell to his championship dreams with two races to spare), nor do I think I need to exceed more than normal. I'll try to do my race, calm, knowing that victory is the only opportunity I have to keep the conversation open".
It's not an easy situation; a 26-point gap is significant.
"The more races go by, the less the chances of a comeback become. But they still exist; nothing is irretrievably lost".
Of course, the story would have been different if all those disasters at the start hadn't occurred this season.
"Now I think I've learned; it's time not to fall into temptation anymore, not to do it again".
A commendable resolution, while those words against the team, openly accused of favoring Rosberg, German like the Mercedes, had seemed discordant. Hamilton, perhaps relieved by the result in Austin, now backtracks:
"I never said the team is not with me or that they are sabotaging me. Many guys within the team support me, cheer for me. In Austin, I feel there was a turning point, that I'm back to how I was at the beginning of the summer. That was a kind of home race; I've never won here, but I have confidence in myself and believe I can keep the championship open until the last race in Abu Dhabi. It's clear that the comeback is not only in my hands; Rosberg has to make a mistake, otherwise, there's no chance for me".
What seems certain is that once again, the triumph is exclusively the concern of Mercedes and its two drivers.
"This year the team has done a fantastic job; we've won a lot, almost never made mistakes in choices, technical, and strategic. Regardless of the outcome, I have no regrets. I don't have to think about Rosberg, only about how I have to behave. Focused on my actions, my car, and my race. Each of us between me and Rosberg does their job. If he does his well, it's over. If I do mine well, I can still hope. Anything can happen in a race; the important thing is to feel fit".
The idea remains that of a miracle, but Hamilton explains:
"I like difficult things, like climbing rocks. I'm not in the ideal position, but I love challenges. Fight and never give up. I can't burden myself too much in my mind: the pattern is simple, I have to secure the pole and be the fastest on Sunday to win the race. If my dream comes true, great. Otherwise, I'll be the first to shake hands with the one who beat me".
Nico Rosberg also openly talks about his own eve. Without changing his traditional refrain:
"I don't look at the standings; I only think about attacking, pushing to the maximum, winning the race".
A single concession to his unyielding superstition. He knows that here is where the first match ball is played; if he wins and Hamilton gathers only one point or nothing, he would secure his first World Championship. The German driver is aware of it.
"And not thinking about it is impossible; I'm human too".
But it's a matter of a moment, no predictions are made. Every discussion needs to be approached in general terms.
"The atmosphere in the team is fantastic, sweet, friendly. In Austin, we had a good party in the evening. For Hamilton and for me. And even here, where last year I dominated the final, on a track I love to death, after the race on Sunday, we're ready to have a wild celebration".
Cultivating hope, but you won't even tear it away from them under torture, that it could be the party. Meanwhile, on Friday, October 28, 2016, who knows how much Ferrari fans would be willing to pay just to see the same outcome as the free practice on Sunday evening. Indeed, Sebastian Vettel is leading everyone at the end of Friday's free practice for the Mexican Grand Prix, the third-to-last event in the Formula 1 World Championship. On the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City, the German driver from Ferrari, fitting the Supersoft tires, clocks in at 1'19"790. He is followed by only 0.004 seconds by Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes, then Nico Rosberg and the other Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen's, slower by 0.034 seconds, and not entirely happy with the setup of his own single-seater. Vettel's performance is remarkable; besides being very fast in a single lap, he also maintained a respectable pace in long runs with Medium tires. In Mercedes, however, there is a complaint about a graining issue with the tires. Behind, at least on this Friday, are the Red Bulls: Daniel Ricciardo is fifth but 0.65 seconds behind Sebastian Vettel, his teammate Max Verstappen, after a braking system problem in the morning, is seventh, almost 0.85 seconds off the day's best performance. Between them is Nico Hulkenberg's Force India. Eighth time for Valtteri Bottas in the Williams, who is only 0.01 seconds slower than the young Dutchman from the Anglo-Austrian team. Ninth time for Carlos Sainz Jr., who, with his Toro Rosso, is, however, delayed by 1.2 seconds compared to the day's best lap. Closing the top ten is Fernando Alonso with the McLaren-Honda. Following are Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso, who encounters a problem with his power unit in the final moments, remaining stationary in the return lap to the pits. Then the second McLaren of Jenson Button, and the Williams of Felipe Massa.
"It's been a good day. The fundamental fact is that we ran without significant problems".
These are the first words from Sebastian Vettel, commenting on the best time set in the free practice for the Mexican Grand Prix. The German driver for Ferrari then complains about the heavy traffic on the track, which didn't allow him to make the most of the Supersoft tires:
"It felt like being on a normal road rather than on the track. But others had the same problems. Due to the heavy traffic, I couldn't give more, but tomorrow I hope to do better. We can't do worse than last year, given that the Ferraris didn't finish the race. Last year, however, I had good feelings here in Mexico; you can see that the pace is good: we hope to be on the podium. We approach Saturday's practices with good momentum".
His teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, is a bit less satisfied:
"We didn't know how it would go, and in the end, it didn't go too bad. We'll see tomorrow. We tried something, but I don't exactly know what; it's okay like this".
Previously, in the first session, it was Lewis Hamilton who set the best time, clocking in at 1'20"914 with Medium tires. Behind him, just 0.079 seconds behind, was Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari, who had recorded his best time with Soft tires. Kimi Raikkonen also did well, third with the other Ferrari, 0.158 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton. Also noteworthy was Force India, which had placed Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg in fourth and fifth positions. Sixth was the Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas with Williams, while to find Nico Rosberg's Mercedes, you had to scroll down to seventh place. The German, who plays his first match point for the title in Mexico, had closed 0.759 seconds behind Hamilton, fitting Medium tires, like his teammate. Eighth time for the Australian Daniel Ricciardo with Red Bull, completing the top ten were the Brazilian Felipe Massa with Williams and the Russian Daniil Kvyat with Toro Rosso. Problems for the Dutchman Max Verstappen, only fourteenth with Red Bull and forced to return to the pits early due to overheating of the rear brakes. The 150.000 spectators - and an equal number of tickets were sold for Friday's free practice and Saturday's qualifying - who will fill the circuit to the brim, expect emotions, and these could certainly come from the brakes. The special conditions in which the race takes place, 2260 meters above sea level, make cooling difficult and create a real alarm. Last year, despite some concerns from Brembo, the Italian excellence that supplies almost all the teams, everything went well. Only a Sauber was forced to retire due to a set of worn brake pads that would have jeopardized the safety of the driver. But now many are betting on a Mexican race similar to a calvary, with some cars forced, brakes finished, to a hasty return to the pits or, worse, to a race ended against the barriers, in one of those impacts where the driver can only pray. The alarm exists, and Brembo itself, the major supplier of discs, pads, calipers, hydraulic pumps, and brake-by-wire, acknowledges it.
Brake-by-wire is a system that allows energy recovery, enables the engine to brake, and each team adjusts it as it sees fit. Half-jokingly, but not entirely, Brembo talks about the Grand Prix with crossed fingers. The company has provided advice to the teams, such as keeping the air intakes completely open, well aware that this affects aerodynamic load and that someone might try to be clever, closing them at least slightly, favoring performance but risking to overheat discs and calipers. This was already done on Friday during free practice by Red Bull, both on the front and rear. Brembo, which has among its clients Ferrari, Toro Rosso, and Haas, and at a partial level (something less than the complete package) Mercedes, Red Bull, and Sauber, up to the simple brake-by-wire given to Manor, has provided a kind of manual (precise countermeasures do not exist) to minimize risks, but is aware that it may not be entirely heeded. The fundamental rule is not the peak temperature reached (during the Grand Prix, carbon could go from 350 °C to 1200 °C, and touch 1000 °C even 100 times), but the average temperature per lap, which must never exceed 500 °C. This, technicians suggest, is not a suggestion but an obligation: if you go beyond, the car no longer brakes. The rest is good practice, such as avoiding blowing cold air onto the disc that is on fire in the pits (ice is lethal and conflicts with carbon), checking every component suspected of damage with X-rays and, if necessary, replacing it, relying on the experience of the driver who has the balance bar on the steering wheel, a lever that acts on both hydraulic pressure and the temperatures of the rear and front brakes. Mercedes has already installed a special display that indicates temperatures; Hamilton and Rosberg can adjust themselves.
On Saturday, October 29, 2016, during the third and final free practice session, Max Verstappen sets the best lap time, preceding Lewis Hamilton by less than 0.1 seconds. In third and fourth place are the two teammates, namely Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Rosberg. The German driver of Mercedes completes 27 laps, using this session to improve the setup for the race. The other German driver, Sebastian Vettel, drops to fifth place, surpassed also by Valtteri Bottas: the Ferrari driver is 0.8 seconds behind but was slowed down by traffic in the first attempt and made a small mistake in the consecutive second attempt with the same set of Supersoft tires. A few hours later, track and air temperatures are higher than those of the morning practice. Renault driver Jolyon Palmer does not participate in qualifying due to a technical problem with his car. In Q1, Nico Hülkenberg initially tops the standings but is later beaten by Lewis Hamilton. The Briton's time is further lowered by the two Ferrari drivers. Nico Rosberg, with only the seventh time, lags behind. Drivers use the tires for two fast laps, one immediately following the other. Later, Lewis Hamilton returns to the top of the standings, while Daniil Kvyat cannot complete the session due to an engine problem. In the final moments of Q1, Esteban Gutiérrez spins, preventing his incoming teammate Romain Grosjean from setting a sufficient time to advance to the next phase. In addition to Palmer, Kvyat, and the two Haas drivers, Felipe Nasr and Esteban Ocon are also eliminated. The tires chosen for this phase will also be those used by the drivers who advance to the final phase for the race start. All, except the Red Bull Racing drivers, opt for the use of Soft tires. Lewis Hamilton again tops the times, followed by his teammate Nico Rosberg. Later, Sebastian Vettel beats the time of his compatriot and takes second place. In the final part of Q2, Max Verstappen sets the fastest time with Supersoft tires. The Dutchman, along with his teammate Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel, does not take part in the final phase of the session. Kimi Räikkönen returns to the track with Supersoft tires but does not improve the time set with the Soft tires, which remain the tires he will use at the start. In the last seconds of the session, the bottom positions of the standings are overturned; Pascal Wehrlein, Kevin Magnussen, Marcus Ericsson, Sergio Pérez, and the two McLarens are excluded. In Q3, Max Verstappen is faster than Daniel Ricciardo but is beaten by Lewis Hamilton.
After the first attempt, Nico Rosberg is fourth, while Nico Hülkenberg is fifth, ahead of the two Finns Kimi Räikkönen and Valtteri Bottas. In this phase, too, the drivers complete two fast laps with the same set of tires. With their last attempts, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are overtaken by Nico Rosberg, while Lewis Hamilton remains unbeatable. A flawless Lewis Hamilton dominates Saturday in Mexico, always leading in every round of the dry lap, except in the second, when he was beaten by Max Verstappen's Red Bull, and clings to his desire for a championship comeback. The Englishman, who admits to feeling calm and in great shape, relieved after the triumph in Austin that allowed him to end a wait that lasted for more than two months, is decidedly the most competitive driver, handling the indigestible Mexico well and driving perfectly. Important numbers stand out in his feat, such as pole number 59, only six behind Senna and nine behind Schumacher, number 22 in four years with Mercedes, demonstrating how skilled he is in the single lap, but above all, the track record, literally demolished compared to the times achieved last year. Paying him homage over the radio is also Montoya, a Colombian star, great of the past and much appreciated even here in Mexico. Montoya congratulates him right away, while Hamilton is still in the car. Mercedes allows him to communicate via radio, and the Englishman in the car with the steering wheel in his hands remains amazed to hear a familiar voice, but not the traditional one of his mechanics and engineers commenting on his performance. Hamilton has taken the first step, but now he must not make a second mistake, win the race if he wants to keep alive the hope of catching Rosberg at the top of the championship standings. His step forward would have been regal if the number one enemy, his teammate at Mercedes, hadn't found the right lap just in time, allowing him to limit the damage, securing second place and the front row. Always in difficulty throughout the weekend ("I struggle tremendously to get the tires up to temperature"), even in the first two battles on the dry lap, he had achieved sixth and fifth positions, disappointing placements that could have seriously compromised his leadership if the race had unfolded in the same way, with a full score for Hamilton and Rosberg off the podium.
Instead, the German at the last moment secured second place, 0.254 seconds behind the escaping rival but, above all, finally ahead of Max Verstappen (third) by just 0.096 seconds and Daniel Ricciardo (fourth) by 0.175 seconds. This is no small matter because this at the start can change everything. It is true that Rosberg, after qualifying, is more smiling compared to the scowl he had during the battle. Now he can afford to talk about the championship battle in perspective:
"I am always optimistic; I see my situation well, especially because I have a good advantage in the standings, and the pole position doesn't award points. Points are earned in the race, where everything can change. Here, at the start, there's an extremely long straight, over a kilometer, and anything can happen at the first turn".
Certainly, there will be a Hamilton on the attack. After the pole, he stated:
"My strategy for the championship comeback? Only one: push, attack, give it gas, offer the maximum. What other choice do I have?"
All of this is in the hope that the brakes (there's a real alarm, given the altitude of the circuit and the difficulty in cooling them) don't ruin everything and turn the race into a lottery. Even Red Bull has its ambitions; Verstappen at times seemed competitive, being the first to break the track record in the last practice session. The third-place on the grid can be a good springboard. Ricciardo is slightly slower, but the fourth position doesn't rule him out, especially since he tends to perform well during races. A glorious mystery surrounds Ferrari; not only in practice but also in the final part of the qualifying, they seemed promising. The team suggests that the rise in asphalt temperature might have been crucial: as long as it was below 50 °C, the Ferrari was competitive, but in the last round, when it went up to 55 °C, suddenly the Supersoft tires stopped performing, making Raikkonen and Vettel slower (or with similar times) than those achieved with the less performant Soft tires. Result: Raikkonen (still ahead of his teammate in qualifying) starts sixth, Vettel seventh. Not much and little hope, especially if the cars continue to suffer from the lack of grip experienced yesterday in the final kilometers.
"Why did I experience a power loss at the end?"
Kimi Raikkonen asked. He may have had problems with the power unit and might be forced to change it. In that case, he would be penalized, lose ten grid positions, and start not sixth but sixteenth, from the eighth row instead of the third. On Sunday, October 30, 2016, before the start of the Mexican Grand Prix, Haas replaces the bottom of Romain Grosjean's car, forcing him to start from the pit lane. Ferrari installs a different engine on Kimi Räikkönen's car than the one he used in the first part of the race weekend. Since it's a used engine, the driver won't be penalized. At the start, Lewis Hamilton maintains the lead, but he misses the braking point at the first corner. Meanwhile, Nico Rosberg resists Max Verstappen's attack, even though the two cars touch, but can continue; Nico Hülkenberg is fourth, ahead of Kimi Räikkönen, Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa, and Sebastian Vettel. In the midfield, there is a collision between Pascal Wehrlein and Marcus Ericsson: the former is forced to retire; Carlos Sainz Jr., on the other hand, forces Fernando Alonso off the track; the Toro Rosso driver is penalized by five seconds. The race director introduces the Virtual Safety Car, then the actual Safety Car, to allow the track to be cleaned of debris. Ricciardo takes advantage of the situation to pit and switch to Medium tires. After three laps, the race resumes in its sporting aspect, with the standings unchanged. During lap 13, Verstappen makes his pit stop, also switching to Medium tires. Two laps later, it's Massa's turn, who was struggling to defend against Vettel's attacks. During lap 17, Hamilton also stops at the pits and returns to the track in fourth position, behind Rosberg and the two Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen. Meanwhile, Nico Hülkenberg also makes his pit stop, and during lap 20, both Nico Rosberg and Kimi Räikkönen stop at the pits: Sebastian Vettel thus takes the lead, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, followed by Kimi Räikkönen.
The Ferrari driver, using Soft tires, resists until lap 33 when he returns to the pits to switch to Medium tires. As a result, Lewis Hamilton regains the lead, followed by Nico Rosberg, the two Red Bulls, and the two Ferrari drivers. Verstappen gets close to Rosberg and tries, unsuccessfully, to overtake on lap 50. During lap 46, Ferrari had changed its strategy with Kimi Räikkönen, calling him to the pits for a second stop after he had given way to Sebastian Vettel. Now the Finnish driver is seventh, behind Nico Hülkenberg. During lap 51, Daniel Ricciardo also stops for the second time at the pits and switches to Soft tires; the Australian rejoins the race in sixth position, behind Nico Hülkenberg, but passes him during the following lap. Now Max Verstappen is third, followed by Sebastian Vettel and his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo. During lap 68, Kimi Räikkönen overtakes Nico Hülkenberg, who goes into a spin but manages to restart. In the same lap, Vettel attacks Verstappen: the Dutchman cuts the first corner, stays ahead of the German, and doesn't give up the position. Shortly after, Ricciardo approaches Vettel, attempts to overtake, but the German driver closes the ideal line, causing the two cars to make contact. Lewis Hamilton wins the Mexican Grand Prix, followed by his teammate, Nico Rosberg, then by Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel. However, the Dutchman is penalized immediately after the race, so Sebastian Vettel climbs onto the podium. Lewis Hamilton doesn't give up. He doesn't retreat by a millimeter. Perhaps he won't make it; the comeback is truly challenging, with 19 points to recover and only two races left in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, but Hamilton is truly doing everything not to hand over the crown to his teammate. Even in Mexico, where he had never won before and where he secured career victory number 51 (equaling Prost, now second only to Schumacher), the Englishman was flawless. Even after the race, when he manages to win over the Mexican fans.
"In every place we go, the audience is extraordinary, but this is the best crowd you can encounter. The racetrack is full, enthusiastic, a spectacle".
Especially during the race, which started in front and ended, as logic dictated, with the triumph. Hamilton was clever even at the start, perhaps mindful of the many mistakes that have influenced his season and could gift the World Championship to Rosberg. He arrived very quickly at the first turn, exploiting the straight that's over a kilometer long. He could have done somersaults to stay within the track, but instead, he used the escape route, running the risk of a 5-second penalty, which later happened to Verstappen in the heated battle for the podium with Vettel. The race stewards were lenient; they didn't even investigate Hamilton. He thanked them, enjoyed the suspicious maneuver, and set a date at the finish line. In the end, without containing his joy, he repeated the usual refrain:
"It doesn't just depend on me; I have to hope for some mistake from Rosberg that hasn't happened yet. But I don't give up. I'll keep fighting; even in Brazil, I'll push to the maximum, and who knows, maybe luck will lend me a hand".
In addition to undeniable skill. It's there, but it may not be enough. In Mexico, Nico Rosberg also has a radiant face. He had a troubled weekend, more challenging than he imagined due to brakes and tires, but in the end, he managed to limit the damage greatly. On the podium, the German driver greeted the crowd emphatically, spoke in Spanish, and conveyed his happiness. Certainly, winning races remains every driver's goal, but in the face of a historic achievement like the first world title, any tactic is acceptable. Now, however, the clean-faced German driver, very attentive to details, who never wanted to talk about the world title, can no longer hide his plan: to win the World Championship in Brazil, with one Grand Prix to spare. The math is simple:
"If I win at Interlagos, Hamilton can't catch me anymore".
Because even in the case of the Englishman finishing second, the lead would increase to 26 points, providing mathematical certainty of winning the championship with just one race to go.
After trying to avoid injury and damage to his ranking in Mexico, Rosberg is now aiming for this. The risk with Verstappen was there.
"He's a racer, or rather, let's say a kamikaze. You always have to be careful".
Rosberg was cautious, stayed on track, maintained second place, and breathed a sigh of relief. The same sigh that Hamilton felt at the start:
"That long straight is fantastic; I got tempted, arrived at the first turn too fast. I preferred to avoid ruining the brakes and used the escape route. It was the only flaw in a perfect race".
The Englishman also described it as easy, without problems, extremely relaxed. And with only one regret. They toast to the stage victory, but the feeling is that the World Championship is gone. However, the strongest emotions come from the duel between Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, which ended in favor of the latter, who finished on the podium, thinking he had been incredibly fooled. Verstappen confirmed his aggressiveness in Mexico, trying to push the Mercedes driver off the track at the first turn. In that case, Rosberg resisted, and the race stewards turned a blind eye, absolving the Dutch driver. However, they couldn't forgive him at the end: Verstappen was being chased by Vettel, excellent in his strategy, with a long first stint (he was the last to stop and switch to Medium tires) and a final attack. The Dutchman's brakes were worn. To stop at the limit, he demanded too much, went off the track, and re-entered in front of Vettel with a clear shortcut. Immediately, the judges said nothing, triggering the anger of the German driver who shouted on the radio:
"It's madness, it's not fair, you can't do it like this".
Maurizio Arrivabene was also ironic. In a distinctly Italian gesture, he drew the attention of the referees, explaining that this time Verstappen couldn't get away with it. The agitation was successful. The cars crossed the finish line in a certain order, Verstappen third, Vettel (who had resisted a furious attack from Ricciardo) fourth, and the other Red Bull driver in fifth place. The German driver, on the podium, admitted:
"I was more furious than disappointed. I was afraid they wanted to cheat me".
They had sworn it for a long time, since the end of August, the start and the first turn in Belgium, on the legendary Spa track. In Mexico, they would probably have come to blows if the judges hadn't been prompt in their decision, penalizing Verstappen for preventing the overtaking and siding with Vettel, who claims he would have overtaken him comfortably.
"Verstappen was struggling with the brakes; I was faster and putting him under pressure; I would have overtaken him easily. It wasn't possible because he cut the chicane. He made a mistake, but he didn't admit it, didn't give way before the stewards' decision forced him to. He's a good guy; when I pulled alongside him after the finish line, I told him: you don't behave like that, my gesture with the fingers was eloquent. By staying in front, he also damaged me in the duel with Ricciardo: I don't know if he realized it, if it was a team play. The fact is that I couldn't wait to get out of the car and confront him".
Certainly tell him a thing or two, but it was not just that. Vettel's show happened over the radio, there are recordings, he can't deny anything:
"And I wouldn't, because I experienced five minutes of pure adrenaline. I can only apologize because I didn't mean some of the things I said. But it's true: seeing that the stewards' decision was taking too long, I told Charlie Whiting, the race director, to go to hell. In English, so he understood perfectly. I like dueling with Ricciardo: wheel to wheel, corner and straight, all in the spirit of fairness, never a gesture of dishonesty. With Verstappen, on the other hand, there's always something happening".
To Vettel and also to Raikkonen, judging by Ferrari's evident anger. This time there was a happy ending, somewhat stormy, with Vettel already in the middle of the crowd, ready to speak to the TV, then dragged away forcefully and taken to the podium, amidst the disbelief of those present. This time the poison subsided immediately, but Arrivabene's agitation at the pit wall had already indicated that the post-race for Ferrari would be explosive. The team principal, with all-Italian gestures, was already losing it:
"If everything is allowed this time too, it means there are no rules, anything goes".
This thought was also in Vettel's head, although Arrivabene, over the radio, was good at calming him down and inviting him, sandwiched between insults from the German, to just focus on driving. Vettel recounts after the race:
"He calmed me down. He did well. That doesn't change the fact that at the finish line, I was beside myself. Disappointed? No, furious".
All this while Verstappen rejects any blame and proclaims his innocence:
"I was ahead, in the right space for the corner, I gained no advantage from going off track, nor did I cut anyone off. They shouldn't have punished me".
But the stewards' decision comes almost immediately. Five seconds penalty for Verstappen, the Dutchman has to pick up his things at the foot of the podium, greets Hamilton and Rosberg with obvious annoyance, and learns that he has been demoted to fifth place, after celebrating excessively on his return to the car. Vettel, on the other hand, is taken away from TV interviews, in the middle of the crowd, and escorted to the podium. Who knows if he had started talking on the microphone, what he could have said. Instead, in front of the exceptional interviewer, Juan Pablo Montoya (a much-loved former Colombian driver here), the words are only sweet. He hasn't climbed onto the podium since the Italian Grand Prix. It's the second in the last eleven races. Few. But at least this small feat gives some hope for a dignified end and a totally different 2017. The same goes, of course, for Kimi Raikkonen. Who angrily passed Nico Hulkenberg and his Force India in the last kilometers. But he remains the protagonist of an anonymous sixth place.
"What did I feel at the pit wall when Verstappen didn't let Vettel pass? My first thought was to keep Sebastian calm and make sure he stayed focused on the race he was doing. Then the accounts are settled later, and this time we were ready to settle them if they hadn't sided with him".
Ferrari's team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, comments on the maneuver at the end of the race.
"Today, we struggled, but Ferrari showed that when needed, it knows how to strategize. Sebastian drove well and deserved third place".
While Sebastian Vettel adds:
"Today, I used a lot of body language. I was very angry, but adrenaline was pumping a lot. The tires were quite worn, and he went off the track and didn't give up the position; it was a nice turn because when I crossed the finish line, I was disappointed, but then they told me he had been penalized, and the podium was mine".
The Mexican Grand Prix reserves another twist. After hearing from the two drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel, as well as the officials from Ferrari and Red Bull, the race stewards decide to impose a ten-second penalty on Sebastian Vettel. This decision pushes the German driver from third to fifth place in the final standings. Consequently, Daniel Ricciardo moves up to third position, and Max Verstappen to fourth. Vettel was found guilty in the wheel-to-wheel duel with Ricciardo for changing direction under braking, which, as per the FIA's directive since the United States Grand Prix, is no longer allowed. As it is a sporting decision, the ruling is not subject to appeal. Sebastian Vettel's podium curse continues, with Ferrari finishing the Mexican Grand Prix with a fifth and sixth place, achieved by Kimi Raikkonen. Red Bull, having lodged a formal protest after the race, celebrates Daniel Ricciardo's third place and Max Verstappen's fourth. Ferrari expresses disbelief and disappointment in the decision, which they contest, albeit without the option to file a formal complaint. The penalty is perceived by some as excessive, and there are speculations that it might be a retaliatory measure, especially considering Vettel's radio comments directed at Charlie Whiting, the race director, in the closing laps of the Grand Prix. Leaving the circuit in the Mexican evening, Maurizio Arrivabene is visibly angry about the stewards' decision to strip Sebastian Vettel of the podium, relegating him from third to fifth place in favor of the two Red Bull drivers.
"What we earned on the track has been taken away by bureaucracy. It's an absurd decision".
The Ferrari team principal makes an important clarification:
"Since Verstappen's move has also been deemed outside the rules - that excursion onto the runoff area that denied Vettel the overtake and gave an illegal advantage to the Dutchman - it must be emphasized that our car would not have been in a position to fight with Ricciardo if the other Red Bull had given our driver the position and moved aside. For three laps, Vettel continued to have Verstappen ahead, influencing his duel with Ricciardo. That said, another thing that seems out of this world is that Vettel got a ten-second penalty, while Verstappen got only five. Our driver is accused of changing direction under braking, which we believe is not true. It was a tough but fair duel, and Vettel and Ferrari did not deserve such a punishment".
Maurizio Arrivabene doesn't explicitly say it, but someone in Ferrari circles describes the situation as ridiculous. Furthermore, the fact that Sebastian Vettel, via radio, directed strong language at the race director Charlie Whiting still has an impact. No one inside the Ferrari pit has the courage to speak publicly, but the scent of revenge against the German driver seems strong. However, many believe that, when viewed purely in terms of sporting law, such behavior might warrant a fine, perhaps a hefty one, for unsportsmanlike conduct but not a sporting penalty that significantly affects the final standings of the Mexican Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg called Vettel a kamikaze:
"I was careful not to take risks, and it worked out for me. Verstappen could have jeopardized my fight for the world title. Verstappen is a fighter, but he needs to learn to be more careful. Certain maneuvers are on the edge and can compromise his race and that of others".
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, warns:
"The battle between Rosberg and Hamilton is a great one; everyone has the right to race, but without endangering others. I didn't like Verstappen's move at the first corner, and even the one in the middle of the race, when he tried everything to overtake Rosberg, made me nervous. There are two races left; he shouldn't be the one deciding who should win the World Championship".
Max Verstappen remains public enemy number one. A true loose cannon on the track, the Dutchman has earned a reputation as a thrill-seeker and overtaker, delighting a otherwise bored audience. This disruptor is feared by Mercedes and disliked by Ferrari, especially in light of what happened to Vettel in Mexico. He has also come under the scrutiny of the FIA, leading to on-the-fly rule changes for the Red Bull driver, who enjoys changing his trajectory during braking - a skillful way to defend his position from rivals' attacks. Since Austin, zigzagging during braking is no longer allowed, not even once. Curiously, the first to suffer from this new rule was Vettel. Deemed guilty of doing so while fending off Ricciardo's attack, another Red Bull driver, Vettel was stripped of his podium, penalized by ten seconds, and demoted to fifth place, even behind Verstappen, who had prevented Seb's overtake on the track. Ferrari took this verdict very poorly. Team principal Arrivabene didn't mince words:
"We were defeated by bureaucracy. We had earned a beautiful podium on the track, and it was ridiculously taken away from us".
The team in Maranello is particularly displeased with the disparate treatment. They note the leniency towards Verstappen, who received only five seconds of penalty despite making at least three daring moves during the race (two on Rosberg). In contrast, Vettel faced double penalties for a battle with Ricciardo. Ferrari fears that the severity towards their driver is a result of retaliation from Whiting, the race director, who was insulted by Vettel over the radio. Verstappen uses this incident as his defense:
"He should go back to school and learn how to speak and behave".
Verstappen remains defiant, ignoring orders from the Red Bull team. However, Sebastian Vettel could face further consequences. FIA President Jean Todt is investigating the insults Vettel directed at the race director, Charlie Whiting:
"We are collecting evidence on the matter. From there, we will see whether to take any action or not".
Pressures have allegedly reached the FIA to penalize the Ferrari driver, starting with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner:
"You can't criticize the race director like Vettel did".
The potential punishment for Vettel is uncertain, but a sporting penalty for the Brazilian Grand Prix in two weeks could be considered. Vettel, who violated Article 151C of the regulations, apologized to Charlie Whiting after the race, and this might influence the FIA's final decision. Critics, however, argue that Vettel's insults have given a negative image of the FIA and F1. While awaiting the outcome, Ross Brawn could return to Formula 1, possibly through the main entrance. The British engineer has reportedly signed a contract with Liberty Media, the consortium that acquired Formula 1, to take over Bernie Ecclestone's legacy at the helm of the circus. Brawn has the approval of the FIA led by his friend Jean Todt, with whom he shared nine years of success at Ferrari from 1997 to 2006. The timing of the transition and Ecclestone's new role, considering the current boss of F1 has stated that the new ownership has renewed his trust for another three years, remain uncertain. Brawn allegedly beat out competition from Martin Whitmarsh and Stefano Domenicali.
"I would like to be involved again in this sport. However, not with a team. I've already won a lot in my career, gaining a lot of satisfaction, although I could get back into the game. I would certainly like to help F1, to improve it and make it attractive again. F1 needs to plan its future with a five-year plan".