
The news of the separation between James Allison and Ferrari, communicated on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, by Scuderia Ferrari, carries the bitter taste of failure. Technical, human, and managerial failure. Because, beyond the reassurances and words with which the Maranello team accompanies its decision, the ultimate sense of what is happening in these hours is quite clear: Sergio Marchionne and Maurizio Arrivabene have not been able to bring Ferrari closer to Mercedes, as the set objective, and after two years of work, they have failed to ensure the necessary managerial stability, the technical continuity indispensable in F1 to achieve appreciable results. James Allison, one of the three most esteemed technicians in the entire Circus, was the man who perfectly represented that continuity: chosen, courted, and snatched from the competition by Luca Montezemolo and Stefano Domenicali, valued by former team principal Marco Mattiacci, and finally, in 2015, placed at the center of the project by Maurizio Arrivabene with the enthusiastic blessing of Sergio Marchionne. In a short time, his preparation, his knowledge of the sport, his undisputed prestige had made him the reference point for everyone. A reference point that is no longer there since yesterday. In his place, although with a different title (no longer Technical Director but Chief Technical Officer), Marchionne appoints Mattia Binotto, promoted for excellent results in coordinating the engine area. Former right-hand man of Stefano Domenicali, Mattia Binotto has been with Ferrari for twenty-one years and is highly respected by the entire environment. He will certainly do very well. However, the issue is not Binotto's qualities and his work but the motivations, timing, and consequences of Allison's departure. The parties separated consensually, even if just a few months after the contract renewal and midway through the season. The official reason, according to Ferrari, is mainly attributed to the tragic death of the English technician's wife, Rebecca, who passed away last March at only 46 years old.
Allison remained alone with three children living and studying in England, where now, free from commitments in Italy, he will return (apparently to Lotus Renault). With appreciable honesty, Ferrari also hints at some dissatisfaction with the work of the technical director (especially experienced in chassis and aerodynamics, precisely the areas where Ferrari is struggling). The situation in Maranello had become dismal, with English technicians not talking to Italian ones, chassis designers blaming responsibilities on engine specialists, and the car worsening instead of improving. From other reliable sources, it is learned, however, that the real reason is the personality incompatibility of Allison with Marchionne and Arrivabene. An incompatibility that exploded after the Spanish Grand Prix when, considering the second-place gap obtained by Mercedes on a track where the chassis played a predominant role, Marchionne realized that he had been misled by his men. Men who, in winter, had painted a scenario quite different from reality, pushing him to reckless statements: We will fight for the World Championship this year and win in Australia. From that mid-May day onwards, Allison had been an outsider at Ferrari. However, the problem is that precisely in these months, the outgoing technical director, along with Simone Resta (the designer who signed the not-so-successful project of the SF16H), was working on the guidelines of the car for 2017, a season in which the FIA has planned new, aerodynamically revolutionized machines (Binotto is an engine expert). The situation today is, therefore, this. In 2016, Ferrari has not yet won a Grand Prix. For 2017, while Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren have already finalized, at least in the guidelines, the project for the new car, Ferrari is still at the mercy of events. To the point of not even knowing yet who will take responsibility for that project, which, according to Marchionne's announcements to the fans - and in communications to shareholders - should win the World Championship.
"We have the right people in the team; there's a lot of talk in the press about Marchionne and expectations on us, but it's positive, you can see how convinced he is, how he pushes us. He's often in Maranello and spends a lot of time with us, he knows what he's talking about, always tries to understand what's happening. There is a significant change underway that will not impact tomorrow's work as much as in the future, but the direction taken is the right one".
But on the eve of the German Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel defends Ferrari, which announced the farewell to James Allison to focus on Mattia Binotto as the new technical director.

"It's not true that there is a lack of experience; Arrivabene himself has been in Formula 1 for a long time and is doing an excellent job; he is our leader, and we are happy that he is with us. Mattia Binotto has also been in the team for a long time; he has great experience and knows the team like the back of his hand. It will be different, but it won't change much. We are already working with all our strength for the car next year. I don't think it will change much, but there is still a lot to learn from this year, and it would be wrong to forget about the current season even though next year there will be a different approach given the rule change. There is, however, a large group of people working on the project".
Transitioning to the present and facing a Mercedes that seems unreachable, Vettel doesn't lose hope:
"We have the cars we have, and we lack something to challenge the Mercedes. In terms of lap time, we are missing from 3-4 to 7-8 tenths of a second, which is quite a bit, but we will try to extract everything we can from our cars. Then many things can happen, that's why we compete; otherwise, it would be pointless to come here. Due to its nature, this track should be more suitable for us than Budapest. The main rival for victory is Mercedes, and we will try to keep up with their pace. We will try to put the strongest Ferrari on the track that we can. It would be very nice to step on the podium, especially since I'm racing at home. It would be special. It depends on how the race evolves. If everything goes normally, we should be competitive and aim for the podium".
In Germany, it's inevitable not to think about Michael Schumacher and a different Formula 1 from today:
"He was the first German world champion and made Formula 1 truly popular in Germany. Today, F1 is not as popular; there is a lot of negativity in the press, and fans follow the trend. Some emotions have been lost, the cars are less noisy, and it seems like there is less spectacle even though the cornering speed is higher than ever. And then, tickets are too expensive. If they cost less, perhaps more people would be attracted".
Mattia Binotto is not present at Hockenheim. His presence in Germany was not planned, and the sudden appointment as the new technical director did not change his schedule. The man who replaced James Allison is in Italy, conducting various meetings with the sports management team staying at home, and will lead operations through a radio bridge between Maranello and Hockenheim. He will debut on the track in his new role at the end of August in Belgium. His absence, combined with that of team principal Arrivabene, engaged in Geneva for a strategy group meeting (freeing up radio communications between drivers and the pit, and the introduction of the Halo system to protect drivers, is postponed to 2018), means that the atmosphere in Ferrari is the usual, undisturbed by an important day after. Mechanics, following an old script, work on the cars and hope that the stopwatch is not as bad as Vettel anticipated, talking about the gap to Mercedes ranging from 4 to 8 tenths of a second. Binotto is not there, and as in almost all the Grand Prixs this year (last appearance in May, in Monte-Carlo), Allison, in his relationship with Ferrari, despite technical failures and feared delays on the 2017 car, had a heavy burden in his family tragedy, with his wife's death and children left alone, away from Maranello and in need of their father's proximity, effectively making him a half-hearted leader. One might think that nothing has changed, but in reality, Ferrari wants to turn the page quickly, and soon Binotto will make his mark felt. Personally chosen by Marchionne, hopeful that with his people management skills, especially in aerodynamics, he can allow a miraculous comeback against Mercedes, similar to what he achieved with the power unit, where he recovered 15% in performance compared to the Germans. Binotto is a homegrown resource and very inclined to constant dialogue. He will certainly be present from morning to evening at the factory (like Todt and Domenicali), the eye of command will never be absent, and he is confident of doing well because he already has the advantage of knowing everyone. Vettel has confidence in him and swears not to be worried about the future, with new rules and wider tires:

"We are not behind with the 2017 car; we have been working on it for some time".
Hoping that work continues on the current one:
"Because I want to win again this year".
As for the doubts about Binotto being an engine specialist, someone at Ferrari notes: Allison was an aerodynamicist, yet progress has been seen in the power unit. If it were just about the engine, Mercedes wouldn't be so invincible. Notably, on the Friday at Hockenheim, Nico Rosberg's talent shines. In both morning and afternoon sessions, the German, determined to reclaim the overall lead after Lewis Hamilton's overtaking in Budapest, dominates the free practice for the German Grand Prix. Times impossible to reach even for Lewis Hamilton, almost 0.4 seconds behind his unleashed teammate. Third place in both free practice sessions goes to Sebastian Vettel. The gap to Mercedes is still significant, but his Ferrari is competitive on a single lap, and improvements are needed on the long run. Certainly, Red Bull remains behind the German throughout the day, while Kimi Raikkonen, after the fourth time in the morning, slips to sixth place.
"I don't think it went badly, but we need to improve the car. I don't think there's enough time to set up the car for one sector; we need to progress in all areas. Red Bull? We try to be faster; we've seen that Mercedes is very fast, but I don't pay too much attention to others; I'm listening to the car. As always, we're here to win, and we'll try".
While Vettel is positive, Raikkonen is optimistic:
"There is work to be done, but more or less, we are there. We will work on some details to improve, and tomorrow everything will go well. Are we going in the right direction? More or less, it's not too bad".
This time Maurizio Arrivabene, Toto Wolff, and Christian Horner decide to join forces and, at the end of the practices, appear at Bernie Ecclestone's motorhome. They don't go to the race direction to discuss with the race director, Charlie Whiting. Why? The team principals of Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull Racing did not take kindly to the note that the Englishman issued before the second free practice session (document 9 issued at 1:57 p.m.), in which the Federation's representative reiterated that he would not accept non-compliance with the track limit at turn 1, as a driver in the first session had crossed the white line with all four wheels fourteen times, with a total of 93 violations. Due to all this, Charlie Whiting informed the teams that drivers who would break the track limit three times would be reported to the stewards for appropriate action. And Sergio Perez with Force India was the first to receive an official warning. Maurizio Arrivabene explains:
"We absolutely disagree; we had discussed yesterday that we would try to have a kind of wild weekend since we are on a track with adequate run-off areas, and yet all the exceedances of the white line have been reported as if nothing had been agreed upon. At this point, let's go to Bernie".
Successively, Bernie Ecclestone then takes Charlie Whiting under his arm and accompanies him to the drivers' briefing, where the topic would be discussed in view of the qualifying and the race. However, during the walk along the paddock, Charlie Whiting plausibly explains calmly to Bernie Ecclestone that he, as the race director, was also willing to accept a change in the regulations, but someone would need to take responsibility if something were to happen.

In short, the race director does not want to take responsibility for decisions that were endorsed by others. That's why everything will remain as it has always been: with reports from track marshals to the race control of all drivers who go beyond the white line that marks the track, even if the positioning of the sensor that checks that the cars do not leave the track is moved further outside. On Saturday, July 30, 2016, Nico Rosberg once again sets the fastest lap during the third and final free practice session ahead of the German Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver clocks a time of 1’15”738, beating his teammate and rival, Lewis Hamilton, by 0.057 seconds. Daniel Ricciardo records the third-best time, 0.099 seconds behind, followed by Kimi Raikkonen, trailing Nico Rosberg by 0.164 seconds. For the other Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel, it's only the fifth-best time, 0.366 seconds behind, and ahead of Max Verstappen. However, the third free practice session ends with a doubt. The reigning World Champion and leader of the World Championship standings, Lewis Hamilton, is being investigated for a suspicious maneuver. His exit from the pits while Romain Grosjean was rejoining the track, narrowly avoiding an incident, is under scrutiny. In the end, the Englishman gets away with it: no penalty for him and a meager fine of 10.000 euros for Mercedes. A few hours later, in the first part of qualifying, the battle for advancing to the next phase is intense. Everything is decided in the final moments of Q1, where Kevin Magnussen, the two Manor drivers, Daniil Kvyat, and the two Sauber drivers are eliminated, monopolizing the last two positions on the grid. Lewis Hamilton sets the best time in Q1, beating Nico Rosberg's time by 0.2 seconds. The two Mercedes are the only cars to have used only Hard tires. In Q2, the two Mercedes drivers are the fastest, although the Red Bull Racing drivers seem to be able to at least approach the times set by the Anglo-German cars. The battle for advancing to the next phase is also fierce in this stage, and everything is decided on the last attempt. The two McLaren drivers, those from Haas, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Jolyon Palmer are eliminated. In this phase, Sebastian Vettel damages the bottom of his car by hitting a curb.
In Q3, Lewis Hamilton sets the fastest lap on his first attempt. Nico Rosberg, while on a very fast lap, is hindered by an electronic problem. Max Verstappen is second, 0.6 seconds behind the British driver. However, shortly after, Daniel Ricciardo manages to set a better time than his teammate, moving to just 0.2 seconds from Lewis Hamilton's time. In the final part of the session, Nico Rosberg takes pole position, while Lewis Hamilton drops to second place, and Daniel Ricciardo confirms his third position. At the end of qualifying, Carlos Sainz Jr. is penalized with the loss of three positions on the starting grid for obstructing Felipe Massa during Q2. The Spanish driver also loses two points from his Superlicense. Nico Hülkenberg is demoted by one position because his team returned a set of tires different from that indicated in the identification codes. The only excuse, inserted in another disastrous qualifying Saturday for Ferrari (one pole position in the last five years), is that Vettel, hitting a curb during Q2, broke the bottom of his car and presented himself in Q3 severely compromised. The trouble certainly helps to understand not only the second gap from Nico Rosberg but also the 0.6 seconds behind Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull and the 0.5 seconds from Verstappen's. A Ferrari so far from Red Bull in this season had never been seen, and certainly that unwelcome impact may have influenced it. But once the inconvenience is highlighted, for the rest, Vettel, much awaited by the public and therefore even more disappointing, has no excuses, considering that he was also beaten by his teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, usually (in the season-long qualifying comparison, it's eight to four in favor of the German) forced to start further back. Vettel's troubles, who this time really struggles to put on a smile, including that nervous grimace he adopts when he doesn't want to appear too disappointed, worry the Maranello team a lot because in a season that is getting worse (not only is Mercedes increasingly unreachable, now Red Bull is stronger too, and the role of the third force in the lineup seems established), the German driver, with his determination, with his desire to fight with everyone, was one of the few fixed points. At the end of qualifying, Sebastian Vettel admits despondently:
"We would have liked to compete with the Mercedes, beat the Red Bulls, and instead, we find ourselves two-tenths behind the Force Indias, a gap too small for our potential. The car is not balanced; we lose a lot in the third sector, struggling to find the right setup. If we performed so poorly, it's my fault. It's up to me to get the car in the right window, make it perform at its best. I still believe we can beat the Red Bulls, but it will certainly require another level of speed and rhythm".

In a very honorable manner, he continues to take responsibility, staunchly defending the team. However, surely, if Ferrari is in the third row, inferior to Mercedes and Red Bull and threatened by Williams and Force India, both teams powered by the same Mercedes engine, it cannot be solely his fault. If there's any blame to be placed, as suggested by Ferrari's pit, it's for always wanting to push beyond the limit, demanding too much from the car, overdoing it. This tendency leads to mistakes, setting him apart from Kimi Raikkonen, who consistently delivers without going the extra mile. However, being aggressive should not be a point of accusation, and surely, with a winning car, this attitude could more easily lead him to glory. The problem is that Ferrari, at this moment, is not a winning car; it has stalled in development and appears increasingly small compared to the Mercedes giant, which secures pole position with a fabulous lap by Nico Rosberg, capable of beating his teammate despite having more fuel and thus a heavier car. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo states:
"We are closer to Mercedes than I thought; who knows, maybe we can put pressure on them and make them make mistakes".
Kimi Raikkonen adds ruthlessly:
"The fifth and sixth positions on the grid are our positions right now. In a flat-out lap, we are the third force".
However, Sebastian Vettel takes responsibility for the disappointing qualifying:
"We struggled with the balance since yesterday; we need to understand what's wrong. I was happy on the last lap, but it wasn't enough. We're trying to do our best because the car can be faster. It's my fault. Tomorrow it will be tough to overtake the Red Bulls, especially here. But as for the race pace, we've seen that we're superior, and we shouldn't hide".
Despite the fifth position on the grid, Kimi Raikkonen does not complain:
"I think the car behaved well; I was able to push, and I consider myself quite satisfied. We can improve on grip and speed. Today, the third row reflects our value, but from tomorrow, we'll try to close the gap with the Red Bulls".
Outside the top three positions, Max Verstappen can smile:
"I'm very happy because this track is not easy. Being a tenth behind Ricciardo isn't much, considering I made some mistakes. We did well in the long runs. Keeping the Ferraris behind? Hopefully, we can catch the Mercedes instead".
In the press conference, the top three in the grid are presented. Nico Rosberg can celebrate the pole position:
"A great lap because, in addition to having only one chance, there was enough fuel in the car to do at least three laps. Not the ideal condition to set the best time. I am very satisfied".
And he is satisfied, but not equally so, Lewis Hamilton:
"A good weekend; I had no problems. The pace was there, but I couldn't complete the job. It's not the fault of the lock-up, a small detail in the overall picture".

Daniel Ricciardo knows that from today, the Mercedes are a bit less distant:
"We are quite close to Mercedes. I knew that after a great first lap, it made no sense to push too hard to challenge the Anglo-German cars, which are unbeatable on poles. We focus a lot on race pace, having different sets of tires".
Until late in the evening, the organizers of the German Grand Prix only practice their anthem. Determined not to waste time, being good Germans, they are confident of not making mistakes, thinking about the monstrous lap of the hometown prophet, Nico Rosberg, capable of mocking Lewis Hamilton despite a car with more fuel and weight, and the fact that he has the Teutonic Mercedes in his hands. Unfortunately, in the forward escape, dangerous because it could bring bad luck, not to mention that the Mercedes is a missile and certainly dominant, but also harbors an uncomfortable Englishman named Hamilton (always in the spotlight in the last three Grand Prix), they probably did not think about the other German driver, Sebastian Vettel, in his first race with Ferrari in Germany. Because Sebastian, the designated heir of his majesty Michael Schumacher, is lost in the back, sixth in qualifying, third row on the grid, and today he could reach the top step of the podium (it would be the first time in 2016) only in the case of a natural disaster or miracle. This is because Ferrari has shown to be far from Mercedes, once a coveted prey and now a simple opponent to applaud. On Sunday, July 31, 2016, at the start of the German Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg's start is slow, so much so that the German driver is passed by both his teammate Lewis Hamilton and the two Red Bull Racing drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, with the Dutchman passing the Australian at the first corner. Then follow the two Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, and Valtteri Bottas. The ranking remains unchanged in the top positions, despite Rosberg's attack on Ricciardo. During lap 11, Max Verstappen and Nico Rosberg make the first tire change. Both continue with Supersoft tires. During lap 12, Daniel Ricciardo also makes the pit stop, and during lap 14, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton also return to the pits. These three mount Soft tires, and the ranking remains unchanged. During lap 27, Nico Rosberg makes the second pit stop, switching to the use of Soft tires. Max Verstappen returns to the pits during the following lap, also fitting Soft tires. Later, Nico Rosberg approaches the Red Bull Racing driver and passes him during lap 30 with a decisive maneuver at the end of the Parabolika.
However, the German Mercedes driver is penalized 5 seconds for not allowing Max Verstappen to properly take the turn at the time of the overtaking. In the following laps, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, and Sebastian Vettel return to the pits and mount Supersoft tires. At this point, the ranking still sees Lewis Hamilton in the lead, followed by Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. Nico Rosberg drops to fourth place, while the fifth and sixth positions are occupied by the two Ferrari drivers. After the third pit stop, Valtteri Bottas is again ahead of Nico Hülkenberg. These two positions remain unchanged until lap 61, when the Force India driver recovers the seventh position. Valtteri Bottas is struggling with the tires, to the point of having to give up a position to Jenson Button. Lewis Hamilton wins the German Grand Prix, followed by Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. A memorable July. Four Grand Prix, four victories, the month of the assault and the new escape to the championship, with many slaps to the rival enemy Rosberg to make him lose his orientation. Lewis Hamilton goes on vacation announcing that to stretch his legs and keep his brain awake, he will go skydiving, although he will also take care of his loved ones and his dogs. Mercedes crosses its fingers, hopes, and prays, knowing that it is impossible to ask the frenetic World Champion for a bit of normal life, within the lines and away from the spotlight. But in the meantime, he indulges in a break with a 19-point lead over Nico Rosberg and a series of triumphs that has ended up annihilating the competition, the reckless Red Bull, which is still growing, and yesterday, although in honorary positions, placed two drivers on the podium, second Daniel Ricciardo, third Max Verstappen, and the lost Ferrari, which slides further and further back, yesterday closed fifth with the nervous Sebastian Vettel and sixth with the anonymous Kimi Raikkonen. Lewis Hamilton receives a gracious gift package from Nico Rosberg and maximizes it, passing in the lead at the first corner and waiting for all rivals at the finish line.

The master is him, and no one has any more doubts about the possibility that he can win the third consecutive world title, the fourth of his career. Only one threat looms over his head; he has already filled up with engines, and at the next change, he will go to the back of the grid, and that Sunday Nico Rosberg will have to go all out because it is really the only chance to get close in the standings. The problem is that, beyond the overwhelming dominance of Lewis Hamilton, it is precisely the strength of the rival that leaves people puzzled. He had started great this season, winning the first four races, but as soon as the Englishman approached, Nico Rosberg got lost. In Hockenheim, he started slowly, losing not only the chance to win but also to get on the podium, letting Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen pass him. Then, a second serious mistake, to overtake the Dutchman, he threw him off the track, earning a 5-second penalty. Fate was already sealed, not to mention that the team also contributed, keeping him stationary in the pits for 3 seconds longer.
"I felt like I stood still for a year".
The driver said polemically after the race, but he also has to look within and understand that containing Hamilton's fury in this way is impossible.
"It was a tough, heavy day. Starting in the first position, obviously, there was hope of doing very well. I felt good, but everything went wrong".
In these words, there was all the disappointment of Nico Rosberg for the fourth place obtained in Germany, despite starting from pole as it happened in Hungary.
"I lacked a bit of speed in the end, the rear tire wasn't working, I had no grip. The 5-second penalty? At the moment, I didn't see any problem in the fight with Verstappen. On the contrary, I saw that he did wrong because he moved abruptly towards me, and this can't be done. That was my impression at that moment, but in the end, they blamed me. Now it's tough, but with time, it will surely pass".
For his part, Lewis Hamilton says:
"If I think that I was 43 points behind, I didn't imagine being where I am today. I've shown that I never give up. Now there's this break, and I have this advantage, and I want to continue like this".
And Niki Lauda points out Red Bull as Mercedes' opponent:
"At the moment, Red Bull is our opponent; they were very fast here".
Nico Rosberg appeared to be in difficulty, losing many positions at the start despite the pole:
"I don't know what happened; first, I have to talk to Nico to understand if the problem is his or technical. The penalty for the maneuver with Verstappen? The stewards' decision was 50-50; I don't know".
And Daniel Ricciardo thanks and celebrates:
"Beer? I had some yesterday. It was a fantastic race today. It's two weekends in a row that I'm on the podium. I thank the many fans who came here for me and, of course, the entire Red Bull team. It's the first time both drivers of our team (third place for Verstappen) are on the podium this season; it's really a joy for us. In the race, a great strategy and an excellent pace were evident on our part. We have a great car: we didn't win, but second and third place together is not bad for us".

Then there's Ferrari with its major wounds to lick. In the comparison with Red Bull, now second in the Constructors' World Championship, there's an embarrassing fact concerning qualifying. Ricciardo in Australia, the first race, was 0.8 seconds slower than Vettel, in Hockenheim 0.6 seconds faster. In eleven Grand Prix races, the Anglo-Austrian team inflicted 1.4 seconds on the Maranello cars. You can understand Ricciardo's euphoria and Vettel's dismay, who refuses to go into the pits for a stop. Via radio, in fact, he is given the command, but the German says:
"Negative".
Confusion, then surrender:
"Okay, stay on track".
Later, with a cool head, Sebastian regrets:
"They were right, I should have come in. I would have put pressure on those ahead of me".
Instead of struggling like Kimi Raikkonen. Sebastian Vettel says at the end of the race:
"In races, we are usually faster than in qualifying, but today fifth and sixth places were the best achievable. For all of us, it's nice to have a break now. The first part of the season didn't go as we wanted. Personally, I've had ups and downs. Now, we will all work to improve and come back stronger".
Kimi Raikkonen adds:
"It's painful to see that this is the maximum we can do in a race. We need to do better. Improve the car in all areas, more aerodynamic load and more speed are needed. Today's race was very quiet; not much happened. The new tires were good, but then I had a lot of oversteer and understeer, and the car lost grip. In the last stint, I also had to save fuel...".
Maurizio Arrivabene, what's happening to Ferrari?
"We have problems, we know what they are, but we can't solve them".
That's not encouraging...
"Make no mistake, this doesn't mean we're not working. The whole team is giving their best, but in certain areas, it's like we're stuck. This has been happening since Barcelona, the fifth Grand Prix".
Considering it's just the twelfth, isn't that unacceptable?
"Performances like this in Hockenheim, a fifth and a sixth place, are unacceptable for Ferrari. Since Friday, we knew we would face difficulties here, not only Mercedes but also Red Bull could beat us. But if I say I expected a result like this, I would be a fool. Ferrari doesn't hit the track for a fifth or a sixth place".

But it happens. Why?
"Our car essentially has two shortcomings: aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical grip. We've been working on those areas for a while. However, we improve little compared to the competition, and old issues often resurface. Our drivers try to hide them, but it's not easy, and they don't always succeed. Let's forget about Mercedes, increasingly unreachable, but it must be acknowledged that Red Bull has made great progress. To the point of easily beating us on this track".
With things like this, even the second place in the constructors' championship is at risk.
"Let's not exaggerate with dramas. In Budapest, we were faster than them; we can still overtake them. The gap is small; already at Spa, in the next race, we expect to reverse the situation".
Wouldn't it be better to give up everything and focus on 2017?
"No, Ferrari doesn't give up; under my management, it never will. We're already thinking about next year's car; we won't be caught unprepared for the new rules, but now I'm interested in the present. We have to solve every problem. And as quickly as possible".
Can the new technical director Binotto succeed?
"He, along with the whole team. There won't be a boss and subordinates who just listen, execute, and don't think. I want teamwork. Inside Ferrari, there are talents; they need to come out, emerge. We need to set a goal and then coordinate everyone together, every department. Binotto's task will be to ensure we stay on track, but in the right direction to achieve the goal we've set".
His debut in the new role wasn't exciting.
"In this defeat, Binotto has nothing to do with it. He's been in charge for four days. No one can perform miracles".