
After the summer break, Formula 1 returns to heat up the engines at the historic Belgian Grand Prix. It looks like a mission impossible for the leader of the World Championship, Lewis Hamilton, who will start from the back of the grid due to the choice of changing the engine:
"The penalty will certainly have some effects, but I will try to minimize it as much as possible. I'll have to regain positions, but even two years ago in Hungary, I started last and finished fourth".
In a press conference, Hamilton denies any friction with Mercedes regarding this penalty, a result of a team error (the decision to replace two components of the power unit):
"You win and lose together - cuts short the British driver - I don't see it as incompetence but as a learning episode for everyone, because by learning from what happened, the problem won't recur".
However, achieving the 50th career victory will be tough:
"I want to reach it as soon as possible, and then we'll see. Every day, I have to pinch myself to realize what I have accomplished in my career. Looking at Grand Prix as a kid, I never thought I would be here, let alone with 50 Grand Prix wins under my belt".
Taking advantage of the opportunity to see Hamilton start from the back will be his teammate Nico Rosberg, who is 19 points behind in the standings, as well as the Ferraris and Red Bulls. Hamilton emphasizes the growth of the Austrian team:
"Winning will be difficult because the gap has narrowed, and in the last year, Red Bull has grown a lot, as fast as Ferrari".
Red Bull's Dutch driver, Max Verstappen, intervenes in a press conference and says:
"We managed to stay ahead of the Ferraris, and we have to continue doing that and try to recover on Mercedes, but it will be tough".
Among the objectives for the thirteenth race of the F1 season at the Spa circuit, Max Verstappen adds:
"We have to try to make the car work well in terms of setup, then we'll see what we can achieve. We are close to the border with the Netherlands, and there will be many fans cheering for me. The goal is always to give our best".
Lewis Hamilton will start last, no matter what. Changing two engine components means 20 positions down on the grid, and not even the British driver, hunting for victory number 50, can overcome such a rule. It was expected, as the World Championship leader had reached the limit of allowed power units for the entire season, and Mercedes decided that Spa, a circuit with opportunities for overtaking, was the ideal stage for attempting an almost impossible comeback. It requires a miracle, but Hamilton, 19 points ahead of teammate Rosberg, believes in it:
"I'm going to accomplish a feat, achieve a victory that would be extraordinary. Once in Budapest, I started last and finished fourth, and that's a track where it's hard to overtake. Why shouldn't I be optimistic?"

This optimism also belongs to Red Bull, ahead of Ferrari, with Verstappen ignoring the red team while Maranello is a team lost in its decline. Vettel doesn't seem to have much hope, yet this race appears as the first of the second Marchionne revolution, with James Allison fired, and Mattia Binotto making his debut on the track. It's clear that miracles cannot be expected from the new technical director, but his constant presence, opposed to the absence of James Allison, could boost the team. On the eve of the Belgian Grand Prix, Mattia Binotto doesn't speak, but the dream is to start well. Friday, August 26, 2016, at the end of the first free practice session, Nico Rosberg precedes the other Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, by 0.7 seconds. The two drivers make different choices regarding tire usage. Rosberg sets the best time using Supersoft tires, although during the session, he prefers to test the Medium tire. Nico Rosberg, along with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg, tests the Halo protection in the installation lap, aiming to safeguard the driver's head. Kimi Räikkönen is third, 0.069 seconds behind. Many cars experience technical problems: for example, Fernando Alonso completes only three laps due to a hybrid part failure, and Romain Grosjean and Jolyon Palmer are also delayed. At the end of the first free practice, Marcus Ericsson is forced to install the sixth turbo of the season. For this reason, the Swedish driver will be penalized with a ten-place grid penalty. On Fernando Alonso's McLaren, after troubles in the morning session, an old power unit is reinstalled, abandoning the test of the new version. In the second practice session, Max Verstappen prevails over Daniel Ricciardo, while the first driver with a Mercedes engine, Nico Hülkenberg, takes the third position. The two Mercedes drivers prefer to simulate a race without aiming for a significant time. Nico Rosberg's car also experiences engine water temperature problems. The Ferraris lose some positions, as the heat does not favor the choice of Supersoft tires made by the Maranello team. Valtteri Bottas stays in the box for a long time due to an electronic failure. Formula 1 returns after the summer break, and Red Bull forcefully re-enters the scene, confirming the improvements shown since the Austrian Grand Prix. Therefore, Sebastian Vettel does not seem satisfied at all.
"The track today, due to the intense heat, was a bit slippery, and we need to improve the car, which is not yet as we would like it. We hope to have learned. Certainly, the hot conditions suit us better, but they are complicated conditions since many cars, both for the single lap and the long run, struggled. The judgment is quite positive, even though I'm not completely satisfied due to balancing issues, but it depends on us, on me, and on the team to work to improve tomorrow".
Kimi Raikkonen shares a similar perspective:
"In the morning, it went quite well, and the afternoon didn't start badly either. However, the lap times with the Supersoft and the long runs didn't go very well. We had problems with the front tires, and we changed the setup. By continuing to work, we will find the solution for tomorrow. We will review everything we have done and try to make the most of everything tomorrow".
After the free practice sessions, during the press conference, Fernando Alonso speaks with the media, answering various questions about his past, present, and future. Alonso, is it true that you are thinking about retiring?
"Not immediately, in a year, when my 'marriage' with McLaren expires".
Are you afraid they won't extend your contract?
"Absolutely not. They know my thoughts, and I believe they are very sorry. The problem is me and this F1 that no longer excites me. The cars are too heavy and too slow; everything is entrusted to technology. I miss when I started fifteen years ago; the driver's talent mattered much more, and the cars we had were the pinnacle of speed. Now, the GP2, the B series, is only 3 seconds slower than us, how sad. McLaren, the team where I will end my career, has nothing to do with it. In 2017, I won't be negotiating with them but with myself".

Does not winning, always being in the midfield, not help?
"I know it will be hard to believe, but that's not the problem either. Happiness is different from stimuli. If I were leading the World Championship, I would be happier, but even observing the improvements in my car, which was at the bottom of the grid and can now finish in the top eight, satisfies me. But it doesn't motivate me. A battle is always a battle, whether it's for first place or tenth. But we go too slow, and we have to think about everything except overtaking. About saving tires, not consuming fuel".
If it were up to Alonso, how would he change the cars?
"I don't have to make the single-seaters more attractive; I have to drive them. Certainly, I wouldn't make rules that restrain the driver and their desire to push the limits".
Many argue that he hasn't won much for his caliber.
"If people say that, that I deserved more victories in the World Championships, I'm happy. I've been fortunate to be a driver, my childhood dream, but not in the choices. I often found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. If I had a crystal ball, I would have made different decisions. But having regrets isn't fair; every time I made a change, I knew what I was doing. I chose McLaren for the first time in 2007 because it was the pinnacle, and I clashed with Hamilton. In 2010, I was at a crossroads, Ferrari or Red Bull: a driver's dream or a beverage brand. Anyone would have chosen Maranello, but the others won. There's no point in feeling sorry for oneself; I won two titles, finished on the podium 97 times. I remember what my father told me on the day of my debut in Australia with Minardi: enjoy it; it could be your only race. He didn't think I could race two weeks later in Malaysia. Even in the lower series, I thought: how great would it be to do at least one lap in F1, I would be willing to do anything. It became my life".
Does he really not have any regrets?
"Two, the World Championships lost in the final race with Ferrari. The incredible mistakes in Abu Dhabi in 2010, me not passing Petrov, marking Webber and not Vettel, who would win. And then the bad luck in 2012, Grosjean hitting me head-on in Spa, Raikkonen puncturing my tire in Suzuka, two retirements, the points missing to surpass Red Bull. Two more titles would have made my career extraordinary".
Why did he leave Ferrari?
"Montezemolo and Domenicali took me; Luca was cornered, Stefano was sent away; it wasn't my world anymore. We put a new front suspension, and everyone said it's the Alonso suspension, so he can beat Massa and then Raikkonen, it suits his driving style. It was my fault for everything; I understood that after five fantastic years, the cycle was closed".
Joining a struggling McLaren.
"There's a difference. With Ferrari, I started from 95, and I would have always stayed there because Mercedes is unreachable. Here I started from zero, but it's nice to dream of reaching 100. Even if the process is long, and maybe it won't be me who succeeds".

At Spa, for example, he changes the engine and starts from the back.
"But I have a secret weapon; I'm close to Hamilton. I take a rope, tie it to his car: I let him pull me, and we overtake everyone".
On Saturday, April 28, 2016, Kimi Räikkönen set the fastest time in the third and final free practice session. The Finnish driver was ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel. Ferrari's performance was favored by lower asphalt temperatures compared to Friday. Mercedes drivers conducted a race simulation with Medium tires and a full tank, while Esteban Gutiérrez narrowly avoided a collision with Pascal Wehrlein at Raidillon, slowing down excessively at the end of a flying lap. For this maneuver, the Mexican driver would be penalized with a five-position grid penalty and a deduction of 3 points from his Superlicense. Kevin Magnussen's maneuver at Blanchimont also forced Sebastian Vettel to go off the track. At the end of the practice sessions, Lewis Hamilton used his third engine of the weekend, resulting in the sixth six-cylinder, sixth MGU-K, eighth MGU-H, and eighth turbo of the season. This led to a 55-position grid penalty. Additionally, the removal of the gearbox seal initially prompted officials to have the Englishman start from the pit lane. They later reconsidered, imposing an additional 5-position penalty, bringing the total to 60. A few hours later, higher temperatures raised doubts about using Supersoft tires for more than one lap. Nico Rosberg set the fastest time while Lewis Hamilton, aware of starting from the back due to his penalties, took a more relaxed approach on the track. Drivers were warned not to exceed track limits at Raidillon, resulting in Kevin Magnussen having a lap time invalidated. Fernando Alonso, already penalized, had to stop his car due to technical problems without setting valid lap times. Later, the track temperature dropped, favoring the use of Supersoft tires.
This allowed Pascal Wehrlein to set the ninth time and qualify for Q2. Eliminated, along with Fernando Alonso, were Lewis Hamilton, the two Saubers, Daniil Kvyat, and Esteban Ocon. Felipe Massa set the fastest time ahead of the two Ferraris. The choice of tires in Q2 also played a crucial role in the race. Rosberg, Vettel, and Raikkonen used Soft tires, while other drivers at risk of elimination opted for Supersoft tires. Red Bull had a different strategy, with Verstappen using Supersoft and Ricciardo on Softs. Nico Rosberg set the fastest time. Vettel, in fourth, switched to Supersofts in the final minutes and qualified for Q3. Eliminated were Pascal Wehrlein, the two Haas cars, the two Renaults, and Carlos Sainz Jr. In Q3, Nico Rosberg surpassed all opponents, although Max Verstappen set a time 0.15 seconds slower than the German's. Behind them was the other Red Bull Racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo. Felipe Massa compromised his first attempt with a wheel lock-up, as did Kimi Räikkönen, who went off track in the second sector. However, with his second attempt, the Finn managed to surpass Sebastian Vettel, securing the third position. None of the other drivers improved their times. Nico Rosberg secured his 28th career pole position, the 75th for Mercedes. Verstappen, for the first time, would start from the front row, becoming, at 18 years and 332 days, the youngest driver to achieve this feat, breaking the record held by Ricardo Rodríguez since the 1961 Italian Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg was understandably pleased with the result and explained in the press conference how the improvements made to his car made the difference:
"Initially, we were missing the pace in the dry setup. We made changes for the qualifying, sorted things out, and I am very satisfied with my lap".
While Lewis Hamilton has little else to say, except:
"Let's say starting with a 25-place penalty is not a wild card; it's a very tough weekend. Recovering with these temperatures and the insane tire pressure will be difficult, but it will be interesting".
Hamilton has finally denied the possibility of starting from the pit lane to avoid contact at the start.

"It's not in the plans to start from the pit lane".
Sebastian Vettel is confident:
"It's normal to always want to do better. Apart from the last corner, I think the lap went quite well. The margins are very tight, and tomorrow should be a good race. It should be fun; we're all close".
On the other hand, Kimi Raikkonen is disappointed:
"The second attempt was very good, although I lost a few tenths. The pole was within our reach, and I'm disappointed. It would have been nice, but tomorrow will be a very good race. We are in front, and we must be satisfied with this qualifying".
Lewis Hamilton can finish at most fifth or sixth at the end of the race. After all, in the history of F1, no driver has ever won starting from the last row, only ahead of Alonso, overwhelmed by McLaren's problems and capable of covering only 300 meters in qualifying. No one has ever done it; Watson, the protagonist of the comeback of the century at Long Beach in 1983, started 22nd, but the drivers who had to applaud his triumph on the grid were 26, while Schumacher, in Benetton and not in Ferrari, surprised the world with the highest step of the podium at Spa in 1995, but he started 16th. No one has ever achieved a feat like the one required of Hamilton, and no one believes it except him, who, relying on the Safety Car and rain that has not been seen so far (with the asphalt reaching 45°C), but is always present here, indicates a strong desire to try:
"Red Bull and Ferrari are strong, difficult to surpass. Rosberg, my opponent for the Championship, is far away, but on this track, overtaking is possible, and I don't settle for anything at first. I will push to the maximum, and let's see how many points I can bring home".
Hamilton's comeback eagerness can be the symbol of this race. Rosberg, excited, has resolved the troubles of his Mercedes at the last minute, securing the 28th pole of his career.
"Friday was disastrous, slower in the race simulation than Red Bull and Ferrari, and even in the last morning practice, I didn't like the car at all. Then, as if by magic, it started to work, and it's exceptional to see that I am on pole. I will start with harder tires than Verstappen; I will have less grip, and there is a risk that he can overtake me at the first corner. But the important thing is to escape from Hamilton. I have a great chance to shorten the gap in the standings; I'm risking a lot for the Championship, maybe everything".
Verstappen has fewer concerns, the Dutch with a Belgian passport, born in Belgium, who will turn 19 on September 30, 2016, a destined driver and since yesterday the youngest in F1 history to start on the front row. Second on the grid, he makes the home crowd dream:
"Seeing the excited fans gives me great strength; I hope they can push me towards victory".
His heartbeat is a different strategy, starting with Supersoft tires, which should last only a few laps, unlike Rosberg, Ricciardo's partner, and the two Ferrari drivers who have chosen Soft tires for the start. Swearing by his sufferings, he shrugs:
"Mine is the best strategy. I'm not afraid of anything; I want to make history".

More humbly, Ferrari would be satisfied with a return to the podium after three dry races, something possible after the progress between Friday and Saturday, the result of a different choice in aerodynamic load, significantly increased. On Friday, Vettel and Raikkonen complained; after qualifying, they are angry, but only for the missed chance. The Finn is sure:
"In the last chicane, I lost 0.2 seconds; I would have been on pole".
Vettel entrusted his lament to the team radio:
"In the last corner, on the exit, I lost grip and traction. There was speed, but no grip. I played for the first place".
The red heartbeat (both cars on the second row) is the hope of a victory, unseen this year. According to Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne, the second row is not bad, considering the mistakes. A dream that Ricciardo, with the other Red Bull, does not abandon either.
"Fifth, what a shame. But I started like this when I triumphed at Spa in 2014".
On Sunday, August 28, 2016, at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg maintained the lead, while, immediately at the first turn, there was contact between the two Ferrari drivers and Max Verstappen. The Dutch and Kimi Räikkönen damaged their cars but continued the Grand Prix, albeit in mid-field positions, having to go to the pits for repairs. Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, was slowed down due to a spin. Behind Nico Rosberg, Nico Hülkenberg moved up to second place, while the other Red Bull Racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo, took third place, followed by Felipe Massa, Romain Grosjean, and Valtteri Bottas. Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over debris and was forced to retire: the left rear tire exploded, irreparably damaging his car. A Virtual Safety Car was deployed to allow track officials to clean the track. During this phase, Felipe Massa pitted, while Valtteri Bottas passed Romain Grosjean and Sergio Pérez. In the sixth lap, Kevin Magnussen crashed violently at Raidillon: the Renault was destroyed. The race management first deployed the Safety Car and then interrupted the Grand Prix with the display of the red flag. The driver, meanwhile, exited the car in good physical condition, although he was taken to the Verviers Hospital, where he was discharged with only a cut to an ankle. Jenson Button and Pascal Wehrlein also retired due to incidents.
At the restart, Nico Rosberg remained in the lead, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hülkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, (the top four did not change tires under the Safety Car) Felipe Massa, and Daniil Kvyat. Later, Hamilton passed Alonso, while in the midfield, Vettel made a good comeback. The German driver first passed Grosjean in the 16th lap and then, one lap later, also passed Kvyat, moving to eighth place, behind Pérez. In the 17th lap, Lewis Hamilton also passed Nico Hülkenberg, and subsequently, in the 21st lap, the British driver pitted for his first tire change. However, Hamilton was penalized by a small mechanic error and returned to the track in ninth place. In the 23rd lap, both Nico Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso pitted: the two were side by side in the pit lane, but the German driver prevailed. In the 25th lap, Vettel tried to pass Verstappen at Source: the German succeeded but was overtaken on the following Kemmel straight. In the 26th lap, Nico Rosberg also pitted but retained the lead of the race. One lap later, Sebastian Vettel definitively passed Max Verstappen, who immediately pitted for a tire change. The standings, behind Rosberg, still had Ricciardo, followed by Hamilton, Hülkenberg, Alonso, Massa, Pérez, Vettel, Bottas, and Räikkönen. In the 32nd lap, Lewis Hamilton made another pit stop, while Sergio Pérez passed Felipe Massa. Hamilton, who dropped to third place behind Hülkenberg, recovered the position in the following lap. Meanwhile, Vettel passed Massa, and later, the German managed to overtake Alonso as well, climbing to sixth place, behind the two Force India drivers. Shortly after, Kimi Räikkönen also managed to pass Felipe Massa, moving to ninth place.

After completing the 44 laps scheduled for the race, Nico Rosberg crossed the finish line first in the Belgian Grand Prix, securing his twentieth career victory. Daniel Ricciardo finished second, followed by Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg, Sergio Perez, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Raikkonen, and Felipe Massa. As expected, Nico Rosberg took the lead from the pole and never looked back, winning the Belgian Grand Prix convincingly. However, behind him, chaos ensued from the start: Verstappen had a poor start and was passed by the two Ferraris. Ferrari fans barely had time to celebrate before the Red Bull driver squeezed into an impossible spot, triggering contact between Vettel and Raikkonen. Goodbye dreams of glory for the Ferrari drivers, as with returns to the pits and various repairs, Vettel and Raikkonen only managed to finish (and it's already something) in sixth and ninth places. A small tragedy because this way, Ferrari has not stepped onto the podium for four Grand Prix races and - above all - sees Red Bull pulling away in the Constructors' World Championship. But the comeback of the race belongs obviously to Hamilton, who, starting from the back due to a Power Unit change, ultimately finished third, behind a skilled Ricciardo. Of course, Hamilton also benefited from the red flag that the race director was forced to display to stop the race after Magnussen's devastating impact on the Renault, flying off - without consequences - at over 300 km/h. But it must also be said that Lewis Hamilton had so many penalties that even the FIA brainiacs were confused. The British driver, with the replacement of the gearbox just minutes before the start, presented himself on the grid with 60 grid positions to be penalized (a clever move, as the grid consists of 22 drivers, and the rest is just a virtual handicap), and the stewards announced that he would start his race from the pits, then corrected themselves immediately, stating that he could position himself twenty-first, in the eleventh row. It was supposed to be a race of suffering, but in the end, he is the true moral winner, smiling, proud, bouncing on the podium, aware that with this third place and only ten points behind his teammate, Nico Rosberg, he has increased his chances of winning the World Championship for the third consecutive time. The Englishman shouts his happiness, while next to him, the radiant Rosberg enjoys his first career triumph at Spa. Hamilton recounts:
"I am proud of myself, of my performance, of my Grand Prix, of the great comeback. It's a perfect Sunday, the sun is shining, it's warm. Now I prepare for another battle in Monza. I didn't think my Mercedes could be so fast; throughout the weekend, I had problems, difficulties finding the balance, managing tire wear, but all the troubles disappeared during the race. It's not even fair to claim that the red flag or the entry of the safety car helped me because by the sixth lap, when Magnussen had the incident, I was already fifth. After that, I just completed the comeback until I reached the podium".
He talks about the many engine changes, three of them, the replaced gearbox, as a series of unforeseen events, but the fact that the inconveniences all came in the same weekend, making the vast majority of penalties irrelevant, is at least suspicious. In reality, the strong impression is that Hamilton has prepared the ground for the final sprint, the remaining eight races, in which he will have three new power units and an almost immaculate gearbox, unlike Rosberg who will eventually have to pay his tribute to the regulations by surpassing the allowed engine limit. Hamilton raced the Belgian Grand Prix at an impressive pace and remains largely favored, even though Rosberg has nothing to reproach himself for. Many are pressing: disappointed for only earning 10 points?
"I started well, controlled Ricciardo, always had the situation under control until the finish line. What more could I have done? I hadn't won a Grand Prix in two months; the last time was in Baku on June 19. I needed a Sunday like this. I will continue to push, put pressure on Lewis; I have no intention of waving the white flag".
With victory number 20, Neo Rosberg joins illustrious drivers like Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen, Finns like his father, although he feels German.

"I have a lot at stake in Monza; if I beat Hamilton, everything is open again".
For the joy of Mercedes, which everywhere sees only euphoria. There is, however, defeat, disappointment, and anger in the Ferrari world in Belgium, at the end of a race where the Maranello team dreamed of a great redemption, triumph (which would have been the first of the season), or at least a return to the podium (missing for four races), but instead, it has to deal with two sad placements, sixth and ninth place, really little for the hopes and expectations of the leaders. Not only that: at the first turn of the magical Spa, the track for true drivers, there is a repeat of China, the collision between the two Ferrari drivers. Sebastian Vettel touches Kimi Raikkonen, as it happened in Shanghai, and this time without the involvement of Daniil Kvyat, then in Red Bull, although the car is involved again since the Maranello team launches its criticism against Max Verstappen, more or less defined as a road pirate. Beyond the mutual accusations, because the Dutchman rejects and claims that it was Vettel and Raikkonen who ruined his race, not him ruining theirs, the fact remains that after a few meters, the team's ambitions dissolved, and the frantic chase, after inevitable adjustments in the pits that could not remedy the impaired cars, produced only a few points for an increasingly anemic championship. Speaking of regrets is mainly Maurizio Arrivabene, the team principal, who does not hide:
"Quietly, I say that I dreamed of victory. I would have bet on both cars on the podium. The indications on Friday and Saturday said that; not bringing anything home is a tough blow".
A picture of disaster and accompanying disappointment. But then there is also protest, the finger pointed at the exaggerated Max Verstappen, who fought like a lion in front of the home crowd (the Dutchman also has a Belgian passport). Arrivabene tries to keep the controversy under control:
"I wouldn't want to talk about the incidents; everyone saw what happened. I don't like to call for sanctions, but the fact that Verstappen was acquitted of everything sounds a bit strange. His battle with Raikkonen? Did you hear how Kimi complained to us on the radio? For me, that outburst counts as a response".
Thumbs down towards the Dutchman. Kimi Raikkonen's criticism is much more direct:
"Okay to fight, but after Eau Rouge, I had to brake, or I would have hit him head-on. He came at me, and at that point, we're going at crazy speeds. If I hadn't avoided him, there would have been a terrible accident. I understand defending your position, but this is not how you race. He behaved improperly. And, above all, dangerously".
A road pirate whom Raikkonen has no intention of giving any discounts to.
"I don't even think it's worth talking to him; I know what he thinks. And he wouldn't change his mind".
The problem, however, is that in the first corner, it was Vettel who hit him. The German could have widened his line, but he didn't. He says:
"There was plenty of space for two cars, not for three".
Accusing the third party, Verstappen, who slipped inside the Finn. Ferrari defends the behavior of the two drivers.

Arrivabene reveals what is studied in the pre-race meeting, the green (ideal) and yellow (almost ideal) lines that the two drivers must follow at the start, stating that Vettel was between green and yellow, and Raikkonen was on yellow. However, Verstappen doesn't care about the chromatic explanations:
"I was attacking, Kimi had opened the door, there was space, and they came at me. Instead of insulting me, I'm the victim here. With their aggressiveness, they ruined my Grand Prix. I wanted to win in front of my home crowd, and instead, I didn't even score any points".
It could go on endlessly; no one is stepping back. Only Vettel has a small admission of guilt:
"I had a fantastic start; maybe I should have given more space to Raikkonen. I didn't see him, and especially, I didn't realize that Verstappen was coming on the inside. I'm not a fan of penalties, but I think the judges should have been stricter with the Red Bull driver. I never wanted to hit Raikkonen, and I'm very sorry".
Also because that's effectively the end of the race for both. The German had sliding damage, underbody, and floor, Raikkonen also to the front. In these conditions, the eagerness to arrive in Monza with a result that warms the hearts of the fans could only evaporate. The appointment for Ferrari is around the corner: in Monza, this year, the 65th edition of the Italian Grand Prix will take place, an event that the Maranello team absolutely doesn't want to get wrong. Kimi Raikkonen says:
"Monza is a beautiful place to go, a traditional circuit with a lot of history, completely different from all the other tracks. It's our home Grand Prix, and this makes it even more challenging for us; we have to make the many fans who will come to see us happy. Last year I did well in qualifying, but not at the start of the race. Anyway, I think that despite everything, the result was good".
The Finn, coming from a not-so-enthusiastic ninth place in Belgium, doesn't hide:
"I would like to win, I hope to do better than last season".
Diego Ioverno, Ferrari's Race Team Manager, also speaks about it:
"Monza is a Grand Prix where the pressure to achieve the best result mixes with the great support that the fans always make us feel. The warmth of the public is really impressive. Historically, it is a track where many events and technical commitments are added to many opportunities for meetings and information exchange; for this reason, it requires particular logistics and great support from the staff. It is a unique circuit in the world championship panorama. It is the track where some of the highest top speeds are reached, but it is also a track whose fundamental peculiarity is the exit from the chicanes and some high-speed corners, which require suitable aerodynamic load. It is a particularly stressful track for the Power Unit, but also for the brakes. In these two areas, we will try to make a difference".