Enzo Ferrari extorting a ticket booklet from the track marshal. Ickx and Merzario escape into a truck to avoid being beaten up by the fans. Schumacher saves Todt's position. And then the others, all the others, from Scarfiotti to Alonso, from Berger to Massa, from Alesi to Raikkonen. From the black and white era of the pioneers to the high definition of satellite television. They all parade in the memory of Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the former president of Ferrari, who will stay at home for the Italian Grand Prix for the first time in twenty-three years.
"I am very sorry. I will miss it. It's a magical race".
Tell that to your friend Bernie Ecclestone...
"But threats to the Italian Grand Prix are like panettone at Christmas, it's a tradition. Every time there's a renewal, Bernie says he'll skip it. But it's not true. Of course, everyone has to do their bit. Beautiful things cost money, and you can't expect people not to pay for them. But with all due respect to Baku, the thought of not racing in Germany is quite depressing”.
Why is Monza so magical?
"Because it has always been there. I remember it even before I became a Ferrari manager. I was there in 1966 when Scarfiotti won, the first and only Italian, and I was there when Surtees and Regazzoni won. I have five images in my head that I will never forget. The first is the finish of the 1975 edition. Clay Regazzoni won ahead of Fittipaldi; Niki Lauda finished third and won the world title, the first after twelve years of waiting. Two years earlier, I had just arrived and the fans were so angry that they chased Ickx, Merzario and me into the camper vans to "beat us up".
What did you do to them?
"The Ferraris kept stopping, sometimes they didn't even start. At Silverstone, Ferrari decided to withdraw them to avoid humiliation. But at Monza they stopped again. When Lauda crossed the line two years later, it was an explosion of joy. It had been a perfect race: Niki as world champion, Clay in first place, all together and all there, in Monza, our home. I wondered where the people were who had tried to beat me up two years before. Maybe it was the greatest moment of my life. I still remember Enzo Ferrari jumping for joy among the mechanics. He was moved”.
Did it mean a lot to him?
"To death. I remember the thousands of phone calls at dawn, the obsession. Everything had to be perfect. He sent me to threaten the track officials to get as many tickets as possible for the fans, the VIP clients. He would say to me: Either they give them to you or they can forget about the cars starting".
The second time?
"In 1996. It was a very difficult time. Schumacher, the man we were counting on to revive the sport after twenty-one years, was in his first season with us. And he had had some difficult moments. He had retired in Canada and at Magny-Cours".
He adds:
"From Turin they had called for Todt's head and I had defended him by threatening to resign. I was optimistic: I thought it was better to have a car that occasionally broke down but was fast than a car that was consistently slow. Schumi won at Spa, then came to Monza and drove an exceptional race. I am convinced that the winning cycle, the myth, was born at that moment and in that place. With the national anthem playing".
But it would be another four years before the title was won again.
"Yes, but we were there. We had already received a very important signal at Monza in '93, with Alesi's second place, and then with Berger at Hockenheim in 1994. Two rays of sunshine through the clouds".
Is there a parallel with the current Ferrari?
"I don't think so. The current Ferrari is closer to the 1996 one. It is a bit further along the road to recovery".
Then came the 2000 Italian Grand Prix.
"Exactly. After Spa, we understood that if we wanted to win the championship, we had to win all the races from then on. At Monza, Michael dominated. In his own way. I saw his eyes widen in front of the sea of red fans and it was as if all those people were giving him a boost... From then on he won everything, like a robot. In my mind it's as if he won forever, until the other Monza that I'll never forget. The one in 2006. The last one. Then he left, and after him Todt".
One is missing.
"Yes, the Italian Grand Prix in 2010. Alonso's first year. He won and Massa was third. Although the car was slower than the Red Bull, that victory gave us a huge boost towards the end of the season. We lost the championship unbelievably in Abu Dhabi, the last race. All we needed was fourth place. A result that was within our grasp. Today it would have been different. But someone screwed everything up...".
After the fury of the tyre explosion a few kilometres from the chequered flag at the Belgian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel is trying to take pride in the Monza race, where, for the first time in years, Ferrari will be among the protagonists of the weekend. Sure, the Mercedes have the superior pace, but this championship has shown that anything can happen and, above all, that the German driver can make his mark on his home circuit. Vettel has many fond memories of Monza, but this will be his first time with the Maranello team.
"Of course I have a lot of good memories and emotions associated with Monza and it's always nice to go back, and doing it with Ferrari will make it even more special".
A debut on his home track that excites the German, who is ready to play a leading role this weekend in Monza.
"It's not a physically demanding track, but that doesn't mean it's easy: there are long straights and it's important to manage the braking system as you approach the high-speed braking points. The characteristics of this track require a low aerodynamic load, which makes the car more difficult to control. I'm very excited to drive at this circuit, both because the engine is more powerful this year and because there are always so many fans there: I can't wait to meet them".
The Ferrari fans used to boo the German during his time with Red Bull, so the reception will certainly be different:
"This year I didn't have the home Grand Prix because it wasn't in Germany, so I'll take this one. Seven years ago I won with Toro Rosso and I think it was a miracle. I can't promise anything now, but I'm hoping for a fantastic weekend. I know the expectations are very high, but all I can promise is that I'll give it my all".
On the subject of his Ferrari's tyre exploding on the penultimate lap of the Belgian Grand Prix, the German driver appears calm in the light of the checks carried out by Pirelli:
"We looked into the problem we had and clarified things with Pirelli. We got full support from them. There is a willingness to improve and that is the most important thing. I don't think it's acceptable to have a puncture in this place and at this speed, but there have been explanations and Pirelli have been professional".
Added Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene:
"At Spa we were the team that collected the most debris, the explanation for what happened is bad luck. It could have gone better, but we're all committed to working with Pirelli to ensure that bad luck doesn't happen again. And that it spreads a little to the others. Does bad luck circulate? It seems to stop at us. Pirelli gave us some explanations. They are Italians like us and they have done a very, very good job. They are committed to helping us with development".
The future of the Monza circuit is also on the agenda:
"It would be a shame if F1 lost Monza. It's our home race and the closest to my home. It's got a huge history and it's always nice to go back there. You breathe history at these tracks and personally I prefer to race in Europe".
Nico Rosberg is not having an easy time, unable to keep up with his team-mate Lewis Hamilton:
"Things haven't gone the right way this year; it's been a complicated season, but I have a 28-point gap to Hamilton that I want to try to reduce, starting with this race in Monza, always pushing to the maximum. I know I need to improve my starts and we are working on that, as well as improving in qualifying. I know I have the right car to take pole and win every race".
Rosberg will also have the added motivation of becoming a father for the first time:
"It was exciting and really intense; I am happy and excited to be a father. It is the most intense emotion I have ever felt, much more than winning a Grand Prix".
Daniel Ricciardo has high hopes for the race at the Brianza circuit following improvements to the Renault power unit and chassis of his RB11:
"We're back to where we were last season. At the beginning of the season it wasn't just a power problem, I also didn't feel good with the chassis. But we got the updates from Silverstone and now we are in the right window. From a performance point of view, we are trying to make up as much as possible, but it is impossible to completely close the gap because we started too far back. We are looking at tracks like Singapore and others like it, where power is less important and the chassis is more important, to try and get excellent results".
As the weekend dedicated to the Italian Grand Prix gets underway on Thursday 3rd September 2015, confirmations are in order: Williams announce the contract extensions of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas. The Finnish driver has been an official Williams driver since 2013, securing seven podiums in the last two and a half years with the British team. Massa, 34, joined the team in 2014 after a stint with Ferrari and has taken four podiums and pole position at the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix. The Brazilian is fifth in the 2015 Drivers' Championship with 82 points, just ahead of the sixth-placed Finn on 79.
"I am very happy to be part of the Williams family. I am in my second year here and I am happy to stay because we work well together. They respect me a lot and the results are there".
Says the Brazilian, to which the Finnish driver adds:
"We're getting stronger, I can't wait to see what next year will bring, because I think we can do even better".
And finally, Frank Williams, founder and team principal of the team:
"Stability is the key to success for any F1 team. Having the same drivers for the third year in a row puts us in a fantastic position to confirm our top positions on the grid. And it puts Williams in a fantastic position to continue its development for next season".
In addition to this renewal, Red Bull Racing has also confirmed its 2015 title drivers for 2016: Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo. Meanwhile, the red tide is beginning to move. Ready to give Vettel a magical weekend, hoping that the dreams of many fans will come true on Sunday. Of course, what happened on Thursday 3rd September 2015 in the very central Villa Reale, just a few metres from the circuit, is just a foretaste of what is expected on Sunday. If it's a miracle, as Vettel would put it, the fans are ready to gather under the raised podium, but the likeable German, after three-quarters of an hour in close contact with the fans, is visibly moved. He is delighted by the affection, euphoric by the passion he sees, and determined to do his best to reciprocate this historic first time in red at Monza. He has always loved the circuit and it brings back extraordinary memories.
"In life, the first is always the best, and here in 2008 I achieved my first F1 victory with Toro Rosso. It was a miracle, helped by the rain, and now we need another one. If it happens, I will be ready to claim that the best things in my career are two: the first ever triumph at Monza and the first with Ferrari".
An achievement that would fill the hearts of all those who have been waiting for a world title since 2007. The anticipation can be seen in the signs of time on the face of the man who won it, Raikkonen, who is still here, reluctantly accepting the gap that still separates red love from Mercedes. The fact that Vettel says these things in the midst of the crowd, while he is busy, rain or shine, signing autographs, taking photos, signing hats and helmets, makes it all the more magical. Seb senses the anticipation and does nothing to dampen it.
Italians are passionate, but he doesn't seem to be any different, answering all the fans' curiosities. He loves tortellini, his favourite dish is carbonara, and he takes refuge when asked about past loves.
"I have only had one serious relationship, with my partner, two to be honest, but one is over," and he is pleased to be told that his smile resembles Schumacher's, "because Michael has always been my idol and I would like to imitate him at least a little. I know it puts pressure on me, but I'm not afraid. I promised that we would soon catch up with Mercedes (note: helps extend contract until the end of 2018). It hasn't happened yet, but it will".
Extraordinary if it could happen at Monza. Vettel has no doubts:
"Certainly I wouldn't get the booing I got when I dominated with Red Bull. I liked the win, they didn't like the livery".
This time, even a simple podium behind the usual two, Hamilton and Rosberg, would make a splash and bring back the smile that Pirelli put to the test at Spa. Meanwhile, the German driver reiterates:
"I still think it is unacceptable for a tyre to explode at 300 km/h, but Pirelli have done serious research, the technicians have been cooperative and they have convinced me. It can always be improved, I hope it doesn't happen again, but now it's just an ugly memory".
A stroke of bad luck, as team boss Arrivabene defined it, explaining that in Belgium Vettel's car was the one that picked up the most debris, which Ferrari fans hope will move on to hit someone else. Furthermore, Pirelli insist:
"No structural failure".
But suggests increasing the tyre pressure. A solution immediately rejected by Hamilton:
"It would be a disaster".
In Belgium, it wasn't just Charles Pic who knocked on Lotus' door as a creditor, demanding 800.000 euros. The former French tester for the Enstone team was joined by Toyota, who had provided a camper van without payment, and Bell, the helmet supplier. A compromise seemed to have been reached between the lawyers, and four days before the Grand Prix, Lotus was able to leave Spa and Belgium. Federico Gastaldi was at Spa Francorchamps, but he wasn't to be seen in the paddock. The Lotus Deputy Team Principal was trying to salvage what he could from a team in disarray. Renault had not yet completed the buy-back of the Estonian structure they had previously owned, and the team was struggling with outstanding payments to suppliers. Some had hoped that the intervention of the French company would solve all the problems. A month earlier, X-Trac, a company specialising in the manufacture of internal gearbox parts, had taken legal action against Lotus in an attempt to recover at least part of its outstanding debts. In Hungary, Pirelli had threatened to withhold tyres if the team did not get its tyre payments in order. Faced with this situation, Charles Pic took legal action against the Enstone company at Spa. The Frenchman, a third driver last year, turned to the courts after Lotus allegedly reneged on an existing contract and threatened to confiscate racing equipment to prevent Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado from competing in the Belgian Grand Prix.
Thus began a protracted negotiation between Federico Gastaldi and Matthew Carter, the Englishman who is a minority shareholder but the CEO of Lotus, to find a solution that would not jeopardise the presence of the two E23 hybrids on the grid on Sunday. The Belgian judicial authorities were prepared to seize assets in the team's pits. As a result, the Deputy Team Principal, along with Technical Director Nick Chester and the Team Coordinator, remained in the pits well past the 9.30pm curfew imposed by Formula One, in an attempt to avoid seizure. The three Lotus officials broke FIA rules, but the FIA issued a statement explaining why the College of Sports Commissioners (of which Emanuele Pirro is a member) decided not to penalise the Enstone officials who remained in the pits until 11pm on Thursday, not for technical reasons but solely to ensure the presence of the two cars at the Grand Prix. The Lotus management was reported to have received an extension of time from Charles Pic to reach a financial agreement to remedy the breach of contract, otherwise repossession would be inevitable. A race against time began to find a sum of money to cover the costs. Renault were reluctant to take over a team with unknown debts, so there was speculation about a managed bankruptcy of the team in order to take over the Enstone structure free of debt. However, there is a risk that Renault will find the team depleted, starting with aerodynamics chief Nicolas Hennel, who left the team after wind tunnel development work was halted for almost two months due to a lack of funds. Like the Englishman, several others are ready to pack their bags.
The situation is very complicated; it's not out of the question that Bernie Ecclestone could intervene with an advance on some of the 2014 rights that the team hasn't collected yet, but the scenario is getting more complicated by the day. Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton topped the times in both practice sessions on Friday, with Nico Rosberg second on both occasions. In the first session on Friday morning, Hamilton leads his team-mate by half a second, with Sebastian Vettel a full second further back in third. Daniel Ricciardo is the fastest driver in a Renault-powered car, more than two seconds behind Hamilton. Jolyon Palmer replaces Romain Grosjean in the Lotus for the first practice session and finishes fifteenth, half a second off the pace of his team-mate. Carlos Sainz Jr. briefly brings out the red flag when he gets stuck in the gravel after spinning on the Parabolica. In Friday afternoon's second session, Ferrari continue to close the gap on Mercedes, with Vettel in third, just over seven-tenths of a second behind Hamilton. Nico Rosberg is just 0.021 seconds off his team-mate's best time of 1:24.279, leading through the first two sectors, but losing the fastest time in the third and final sector. The two Force India cars of Sergio Pérez and Nico Hulkenberg split the two Ferrari drivers, with Kimi Raikkonen sixth. Max Verstappen is the second Toro Rosso driver of the day to spin into the gravel, but is able to continue after losing control of his car at the Ascari chicane. Both Daniel Ricciardo and Jenson Button are experiencing technical problems. While the Australian is forced to abandon his first run with a hydraulic problem, Button is called back to the pits after just three laps with an unspecified problem.
"Sunday will be a battle, we'll be close with the Ferraris, like in the last races. The lap times? I'm not sure at the moment, we need to make small adjustments. I'm confident; my goal is to win the title, although I know it will be difficult".
That was Lewis Hamilton's initial analysis at the end of the first day of practice. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel told the media:
"We're not where we wanted to be, but with some adjustments we can certainly do better. Tomorrow's qualifying is always very important, although Monza, with its long straights, is a track where you can overtake. But starting at the front will still be crucial because the first corner is very tight and the higher you are on the grid, the better. The top two seem out of reach. Now we have to work for tomorrow to find a few tenths for qualifying and then for the race pace on Sunday".
And Kimi Raikkonen adds:
"There are always different things we try to improve on, but today I didn't drive very well. I didn't have a good lap. The Mercedes were fast? They have been strong all year".
Italy risks being removed from the Formula One World Championship calendar. This was Bernie Ecclestone's assessment of the negotiations to keep the Grand Prix at the Monza circuit:
"The negotiations have been going on for two and a half years and it's up to them to find out what they want to do. The bottom line is that we have something to sell and they have to decide if they want to buy it. The price we're asking is the same as others in Europe. It shouldn't be a drama, but they haven't been able to make it work, probably for a lot of reasons".
At the moment, an agreement seems a long way off:
"At the moment I would say yes, based on the fact that they don't want to pay".
Monza is one of F1's historic circuits, but it is in serious danger of disappearing from the calendar in the future. Andrea Dell'Orto, president of Sias, reacted to FOM's number 1:
"For my part, I can say that we had a positive meeting with Ecclestone. In the sense that we showed him what we do on the track. Of course we started from a difficult situation, but we made an important proposal. It's not a definitive meeting, because in order to close the gap with what is needed, external intervention is needed, the region is doing its part, but it won't be enough. Perhaps the government or other sources will also be needed. But there is no panic or rush. We're making progress in the negotiations and it's normal to meet several times. We are confident, although I don't know when it will end".
These words, however, elicited a reaction from Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, who naturally hopes to continue racing at Monza:
"The Italian Grand Prix is Monza, which, together with Spa, Silverstone, Hockenheim and Monaco, represents the essence of Formula One. And we must preserve that essence".
Former Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo also weighed in on the issue:
"I spoke to Ecclestone about this two days ago. Ferrari has always been close to Monza, just like the whole world of fans. There can't be Formula One without Monza. But Monza has to realise that it has to do what is necessary. But you'll see that there will be no problems".
Highly unlikely. An adverb and adjective to freeze Monza, thousands of spectators, millions of fans, the whole world of Italian motorsport. A firm judgement expressed by Bernie Ecclestone, a skilled negotiator when it comes to renewing the contracts of tracks involved in the World Championship, in response to those who asked whether the agreement that expires at the end of 2016 will be renewed. A sentence that is tantamount to a blow, all the more serious because it speaks of a rope, not in Singapore, but in the home of the hanged man, putting all Italian pride to the test. Already bent during the day by an incredible Mercedes dominance, Lewis Hamilton finished the practice session just 0.021s ahead of his team-mate Nico Rosberg, but more than 0.7s ahead of Sebastian Vettel.
With Mercedes confirming the dominance they had proclaimed, Ferrari were forced to bow to their exaggerated superiority. Sanctified by the bitter sentences of team boss Arrivabene, who, if he had a lamp, would express the wish to see the Mercedes not even with binoculars, but with the naked eye. The present does not give rise to great hopes, but what worries Monza is above all the future, that negotiation which, for the moment, does not promise anything good, despite the movement of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who will be in Monza on Sunday and has already promised to shout at Ecclestone:
"Hands off our Grand Prix".
Minister Maroni, the president of the Lombardy region, threatened to stop giving the old Bernie a pass, and received the caustic reply:
"It wouldn't serve me very long anyway".
You can't joke with fire, even if the organisers, led by Andrea Dell'Orto, the president of the company that manages the circuit, seem more relieved after another interim meeting with Ecclestone, who seems willing to talk to the Italian politicians and hasn't put too much pressure on them. There is room, but there must also be money, because Ecclestone is not influenced by the collection of signatures (Maroni speaks of 40,000) or the cries of pain from the local Chamber of Commerce, which is horrified at the thought of losing an industry worth 26 million euros. Ecclestone has already commented on the signatures collected:
"Too bad one is missing, the one on the contract. Just find a pen that writes".
But he's not giving any money discounts.
"We have something to sell, they have to decide if they want to buy it. They offer half of what they ask for".
So far, Monza has paid €10 million, Ecclestone wants €21 million, plus the concession of a large outdoor area, which will bring the organisers around €4 million, to be used for a paddock club and reserved for wealthy sponsors. In practice, the request is for €25 million, while the organisers are offering €15 million, which has so far been rejected. This is despite the fact that the circuit has always been part of the World Championship (with the exception of Imola in 1980), and despite its importance for Ferrari and for a country like Italy, which has always lived for football and motorsport. Meanwhile, in the third session on Saturday morning, Lewis Hamilton was once again the fastest, but this time it was Sebastian Vettel who was second, 0.264s behind Hamilton's time of 1'24'544. The session starts on a slightly wet track, caused by overnight rain, but it soon dries up. Ricciardo's session is marred by another technical problem, this time an engine failure on his newly fitted power unit. His team-mate Daniil Kvyat does not have a productive session either, spending most of his time in the garage and only setting the seventeenth fastest time. Before qualifying begins on Saturday afternoon, Mercedes are forced to change the power unit in Nico Rosberg's car back to the one used in Belgium, which had been used for six full races, after discovering a problem with the new specification unit. Meanwhile, Lotus have been forced to borrow tyre blankets from other teams as their own have been rendered useless by overnight rain. When the session starts, Nico Hulkenberg is one of the first out on track, but his fast lap is disrupted by Marcus Ericsson, who is later penalised for the incident. Both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen spend the majority of the session in the pit lane. While Ricciardo is able to come out and put in a lap that is good enough to qualify for the second part of the session (Q2), Verstappen goes out only to see his engine cover blow off on the Curva Grande, littering the track with debris, but at the very end of the session so no other cars are affected.
In addition to Verstappen, both the Manor Marussia and McLaren drivers are eliminated. In the first timed runs of Q2, Lewis Hamilton is seven-tenths of a second quicker than his team-mate Nico Rosberg, while the Ferrari cars split the pair in provisional second and third. Despite this, the two Mercedes drivers do not go out again. Sebastian Vettel sets a second timed lap to improve his time, now just over a tenth behind Hamilton. Many drivers only put in one timed lap towards the end of the session, with Pastor Maldonado, Felipe Nasr, Carlos Sainz Jr and Daniil Kvyat all failing to qualify for Q3, while Ricciardo fails to set a time, leaving him in fifteenth place for the time being. When Q3 was opened up to the top ten drivers, Nico Rosberg was the first to set a time, but Hamilton was immediately quicker, setting a time of 1'23"397 to take pole position. Once again, both Ferrari drivers were faster than Rosberg, with Hamilton coming in around three-tenths of a second behind. In the final timed runs, Raikkonen moves ahead of Vettel to qualify on the front row, while Rosberg improves his time but remains fourth on the grid. He would later point to his old power unit as the main reason for his qualifying performance. Nico Hulkenberg posted a time good enough for ninth, but his car came to a halt at the entrance to the pit lane after his team miscalculated the amount of fuel in his car. The two Williams of Massa and Bottas qualify fifth and sixth respectively, with Hülkenberg's team-mate Pérez in seventh ahead of Romain Grosjean. Marcus Ericsson completes the top ten, but is later dropped to twelfth on the grid for obstructing Hülkenberg in Q1. It is Hamilton's eleventh pole position in twelve races this season. Toro Rosso's Max Verstappen receives a drive-through penalty, to be served within the first three laps of the race, for an unsafe pit stop in qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton was upbeat at the end of qualifying:
"We're very close, it's nice to see there's going to be a good fight tomorrow. The car has been running well all weekend, the engineers and the guys at the factory have done a great job and I thank them all. The engine is more reliable now, which is a positive step for us. I am very happy, but the lap at Spa was better".
On the other hand, the mood is less positive for the other Mercedes driver, Nico Rosberg, who will be starting from fourth on the grid after having fought for pole position:
"I had to change the engine before qualifying, so I took one that had already done 6 races, and that is not ideal on this circuit where you need horsepower. I'm sorry to be fourth behind the two Ferraris because tomorrow will be tough. It will be a good fight to overtake the two Ferraris because we have the same pace, so I'll have to do something with the strategy, come up with something, because it's difficult to overtake one, but it's unlikely to overtake both".
Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, is literally unleashed:
"A fantastic result, second and third, and to be so close to Lewis (Hamilton) gives us confidence, gives us confidence for the race. The atmosphere here in Monza is unbelievable, seeing all the fans jumping in the stands with their flags gives you an extra boost. I want to enjoy this day and I hope we can both finish on the podium tomorrow. Hopefully we can both finish ahead of Hamilton. It will be a tough race and it will require a fast pace, but we will do everything to fight and try to do our best".
Kimi Raikkonen adds:
"I think when we look at the results now, even we at Ferrari are a bit surprised. We thought that this track was not very suitable for our cars, but it went very well. It's nice to see that as a team we had the best qualifying of the year here in Monza, in front of our fans".
Meanwhile, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne points out:
"It's not luck to finish second and third. I am very happy, congratulations to the team, the guys and the drivers. The gap is closing, we'll see in 2016. I'm sure he would have relaxed after the renewal, he's a world champion and a great rider. Tomorrow will be a great day, even Renzi is coming and we'll see if we can celebrate".
Like the Phoenix in red. When all seems lost, Ferrari rises, rediscovers ancient energies and returns to make dreams come true. It happened in Malaysia, in Hungary, and it could happen in Italy, in Monza, the temple of the fans, where the passionate wave of supporters will gather en masse, hoping for a miracle led by Vettel or Raikkonen. The unexpected qualifying exploit was not enough to beat Hamilton, the Lord of the Poles, 49 in his career, the eleventh in twelve races, but it did put Kimi Raikkonen on the front row, in his best Saturday of the season, and the beloved Sebastian Vettel just behind him in third, 0.054s slower and less than 0.3s behind Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes. An exceptional result and an excellent starting position for the race, with a disheartened Nico Rosberg, the lesser Mercedes, relegated to fourth place and forced to admit that he has to come up with something:
"Because overtaking one Ferrari is difficult without a stroke of genius, two is practically impossible".
The fans went home happy, unaware that Mercedes had even decided to replace Hamilton's engine during the night, with ten places less on the grid and the gift of an all-red front row. At the end of the final practice session, an alarm went off in the pits of the Anglo-German team. The super-engine, which had spent the last seven development tokens on Rosberg's car, was misbehaving and it was decided to change it before qualifying, which slowed him down by at least 0.2s on his return to the Spa unit, which will run in its sixth race today. Hamilton got through unscathed, enjoying the novelty, but today the upgraded engine could be a risky gamble on a circuit where it is at maximum power for 67% of the track. Hence the hypothesis of a step back or a reduction in the power of the current engine, which would still play into Ferrari's hands in their quest for victory. Marchionne hopes:
"I hope Renzi comes, we could celebrate together. I predict a great battle and I have high hopes, because the gap to Mercedes is still there, but it has been greatly reduced. I knew that Raikkonen would relax after the signing. We have seen a different driver, he has returned to the way he used to drive. And Vettel was great too".
Vettel who, had he not made a mistake in the first Lesmo, could have beaten Lewis Hamilton. He will try to redeem himself in the race. Also because Lewis Hamilton is a bit hesitant:
"Not my best lap, I was happier at Spa, fortunately it was enough for pole".
If the Ferrari team wins on Sunday, the blonde head will take off the cap:
"And you'll find out what's underneath".
Marchionne looks further ahead. On Saturday, he spoke at length with Mercedes:
"In the future, free development during the year, they agree".
But in the meantime, there is the 2016 World Championship:
"We will fight for the title. With a different car and engine".
Meanwhile, after a long meeting with Bernie Ecclestone, the Governor of Lombardy, Roberto Maroni, says he is 99.9% convinced that the Italian Grand Prix will remain at Monza.
"I have heard the words I wanted to hear. There is no prejudice against us, no agreements already made with other cities. It's just a question of money; just pay and the Grand Prix will stay with us".
There is a slight misunderstanding in Maroni's words. The speech he wanted to hear is, above all, what Bernie wanted to say, what he has been saying for a long time: the manager's only real goal is to be paid the same by Monza as he is paid by other circuits. In other words, twenty-five million dollars. He has been saying this for years. Twenty-five million or no Grand Prix. And now, after threatening, pretending, dribbling and lying, the diabolical impresario is about to take the result home, with the added pleasure of seeing his counterpart both defeated and satisfied. For that is how Roberto Maroni has defined himself:
"Satisfied".
But what did he really get? Time, basically. Three months. On 4 December 2015, Bernie is in his London office waiting for the Italians, and more importantly, the transfers. Until then, he has no other commitments. From 5 December, everyone is free. And, he assures us, half the world will be in line. The problem at this point is how and where to find all this money. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will explain the way forward to Bernie Ecclestone on Sunday morning, before the start of the race. Given that the Italian Grand Prix is paid 10 million euros, another 15 million will have to be found, of which 7 million will be provided by the Lombardy region (in reality, Maroni points out, it will be invested in the facility but will free up other resources for the Autodromo). For the rest, Rome is considering the possibility of involving a third party (state-owned). But the problem is that Ecclestone, in addition to the money, also wants to manage all the circuit's sponsorship and advertising, and therefore the third party would not have the right to intervene. As you can see, the situation is very complex. More than 99.9%. Renzi will try to unravel it. But it won't be easy because, as Maroni himself explained, Ecclestone is a tough negotiator. And with plenty of alternatives at his disposal. Meanwhile, Shell, which has been a strategic partner of Ferrari for years, is renewing its agreement with the Maranello team by extending the multi-year contract.
To mark the occasion, an SF15-T will join the 1951 166 F2 on the Monza circuit this afternoon. Drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen will be joined by Shell Downstream Director John Abbott and Shell Executive Vice President Istvan Kapitany, as well as Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene. The 059/4 engine, which made its debut at Monza with the three development tokens, can rely on a special fuel developed specifically for the Temple of Speed and, judging by Ferrari's qualifying results, it has certainly helped to put Kimi Raikkonen on the front row at the Italian Grand Prix. At the start of the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday 6th September 2015, Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari sits motionless on the grid, only starting after all the other cars have passed the Finn. Meanwhile, Hamilton gets through the first chicane ahead of Vettel, but his team-mate Rosberg has to avoid Raikkonen's car and loses two places to the two Williams of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas. Both Lotus drivers were forced to retire before the end of the second lap, Grosjean due to contact with another car, while Maldonado damaged his chassis after going over a kerb.
As Raikkonen charged through the field to move up to twelfth place by lap three, Lewis Hamilton was quickly increasing his advantage over Vettel and moving out of the one-second DRS window. Nico Rosberg is unable to overtake Bottas on the track and is told by his team to cool his brakes. Further back, the Red Bull-sponsored cars also move up the order, with Carlos Sainz Jr, Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat battling for tenth place. Sainz relinquished his place on lap 11 when he had to pit for a five-second penalty for cutting the chicane at the start. By lap 14, Hamilton was more than eight seconds clear of Vettel, with Rosberg still behind the two Williams in fifth, pushing Bottas by activating DRS on the long straights. Behind the German are the two Force India cars of Sergio Pérez and Nico Hulkenberg. On lap 18, Rosberg was the first of the front runners to come in, trying to undercut the two Williams, which were forced to pit shortly afterwards. Massa comes in a lap later and Bottas on lap 22, both coming out of the pit lane behind the Mercedes of Rosberg, who is now third. By lap 26, both Hamilton and Vettel had pitted, with Hamilton leading the Ferrari by more than twelve seconds. Raikkonen, who had not yet stopped, was third at this point, but was easily overtaken by Rosberg on lap 28. On lap 29, Daniel Ricciardo, also on his original tyres, passes Pérez for sixth place, which the Mexican reclaims a lap later. At the end of lap 29, Raikkonen made a pit stop, but almost collided with Roberto Merhi as he entered the pits. The Finn comes out of the pits in tenth place, but quickly moves up the order to take eighth from Marcus Ericsson on lap 32. By lap 36, Nico Rosberg had closed to within four seconds of Sebastian Vettel, while Raikkonen moved up to seventh at the expense of Nico Hulkenberg. On lap 45, Vettel and Rosberg hit the backmarkers on the track, allowing Rosberg to close in on his compatriot to less than three seconds. On lap 49, Mercedes told Hamilton to increase his speed without giving the driver an explanation. With Hamilton 23 seconds ahead of Vettel, the call came unexpectedly. It was later revealed that Hamilton's left rear tyre had been underinflated at the start of the race, which meant the team feared a time penalty after the race. Fernando Alonso retired on lap 50 with a loss of power. One lap later, Raikkonen overtook Sergio Pérez's Force India to move up to sixth. With one lap to go, Rosberg was closing in on Vettel at the front when his engine failed and he was forced to retire, giving Felipe Massa the final podium spot, which he defended on the final lap from team-mate Bottas. Lewis Hamilton finished the race to take victory.
"Are you really sure you want to save this stuff?"
He didn't say it, but Prime Minister Matteo Renzi probably thought so when he rushed to Monza to try to save the Grand Prix and ended up watching one of the most boring races of the season. 53 laps of a silent procession that added nothing to a championship without history. If it hadn't really started, you could say that the race for the title ended yesterday when, towards the end of the procession, the Mercedes engine of Nico Rosberg, the only one left in the race with Lewis Hamilton, breathed its last in a puff of flame and smoke. End of race, end of story. Ahead of him, Hamilton was able to finish the race in peace and then, after a chorus of boos from the Monza crowd as he climbed the podium, enjoy the usual star-studded evening. It was a different story for the others. At the start, the plans of Ferrari, the only team capable of offering any semblance of resistance to Mercedes' dominance, hit a snag. The day before, Marchionne had said that Kimi Raikkonen had relaxed after renewing his contract. Perhaps he was too relaxed at Monza, because he forgot to start. When the lights went out, the Finn started pushing all the levers on his steering wheel and the car stalled, finishing last. That left Vettel alone at the front behind Hamilton, with nothing to do but admire the rear wing until it disappeared over the horizon. His second place is as deserved as it is expected, although for a moment someone at Ferrari thought he might turn it into first. It happened after the race, when the FIA announced that they had investigated the Mercedes because the tyres were too deflated. After two hours of suspense, the stewards decided not to take any action against Hamilton, as a previous measurement (when the tyres were still on the warmers) had found them to be within the regulations. In short, it was the temperature change. Or to be fair, a win for Ferrari would not have been deserved. The road ahead is terribly uphill, but Nico Rosberg is not giving up and still believes in the F1 World Championship.
"After the engine failure and Lewis' (Hamilton's) victory, it would take a small miracle to win the title. But I have a great fighting spirit. Giving up is not in my vocabulary. I still believe I can be champion. Now it's important to come back and win some races soon. There are seven races left and there's a chance to win them all. As long as it's mathematically possible, I believe in it".
And Nico Rosberg adds:
"The engine failure three laps from the end was really bitter. I can say that it was still solid in the previous corners. And then suddenly it went. I had no choice but to stop the car and go back to the pits. The stewards came with the fire extinguisher and covered my silver arrow with white powder. It was a bitter weekend for me! On Saturday I had to change the engine and on Sunday it broke. I'm also sorry for the guys in the garage. They worked for nothing, but we win and lose together".
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton took an easy win in Monza to extend his lead in the standings.
"Incredible crowd here. To win by 25 seconds? I couldn't have done it without my team. What we've done is very special, they've worked so hard over the weekend to get me this car".
Sebastian Vettel uses every Italian adjective he knows.
"Incredible, exciting, wonderful, magnificent".
In English, he says that this is the second best second place of his career. A thrilling finish for a race at full throttle in the vain pursuit of the unattainable Hamilton, with a podium to make your skin crawl.
"Because everything is special here, thanks to the fans, for the affection today and throughout the season, for the passion, and thanks to Monza, which cannot disappear from the calendar".
Vettel is beaming, even if he didn't manage the miracle of beating Lewis Hamilton. He is satisfied:
"Because I gave everything, I did my best and at least one of them, Rosberg, couldn't overtake me".
The German, who has now joined Schumacher in the hearts of the red fans, is the beautiful face of Ferrari, a car on the podium, enthusiastic people, proof that Mercedes is still far away, but Maranello is not giving up and has a great desire to get closer. Vettel puts on a show on the giant roundabout overlooking the finish straight, speaking in Italian, as he does in the car when he crosses the line, and addressing the mechanics.
"Hamilton had an unbelievable pace, impossible to keep up with, even when pushing to the limit".
But he doesn't want to resign.
"Because we have to think about what the Ferrari was like here last year, the gap it suffered. The improvements have been enormous, a huge step forward. And the season is not over yet".
Vettel saved the day, almost making it feel like a victory, even dreamt of for a couple of hours, if the stewards had disqualified Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes with its underinflated tyres. Sebastian Vettel is the happy face of the Maranello team. And then there's the sad face, the Ferrari that Sergio Marchionne doesn't like, even though Kimi Raikkonen drove a great race and secured fifth place with numerous overtaking manoeuvres. But there's a serious mistake at the start: a misplaced finger, a slow start because the car went into anti-stall, and he's the one to blame, according to Ferrari. But Kimi defended himself:
"I think I did everything right, the procedure was correct, I don't know what happened, but the clutch didn't respond, the car got stuck".
The Finnish driver would like to claim technical failure, but team principal Maurizio Arrivabene prefers the truth.
"We will investigate, but from what I saw on television, he must have made a mistake with his finger".
Kimi Raikkonen, different, smiling and signing autographs, remains on the track the same as the man who has only one podium in twelve races. Arrivabene doesn't criticise too harshly:
"He was good at overtaking, he partially redeemed himself".
But he doesn't absolve him.
"If you start second and third, you should get two Ferraris on the podium".
This could be the case in Singapore, as the Maranello team is convinced that there are plenty of opportunities there. Maurizio Arrivabene claims:
"We will be on a par with Mercedes".
He believes that the three development tokens used in Monza could pay off in Asia.
"This is a united team, not a one-man team or a one-man show. It's good that we're talking, that there's unity and strength to keep moving forward. Now, as I always say, feet on the ground and head down. Humility and hard work, because we never give up. The crowd in Monza was fantastic, there was a problem at the start. To see Sebastian with the fans is a beautiful scene; I would have liked to see two red men. Is Marchionne happy? He's a fantastic president, he supports us and lends us a hand; I take care of the team and I can't say I'm happy. Feet on the ground and head down, although yesterday we raised it quite a bit".
President Marchionne, Vettel is beaming on the podium, is this the Ferrari you wanted to see?
"Partly. Sebastian's second place is excellent, but if there had been two drivers on the podium, I wouldn't have been offended".
Raikkonen, on the other hand, stayed behind.
"It's a shame that he made a mistake at the start, he messed up the start, it wasn't necessary. Then, like Vettel, he drove like a god, showing great character. But overtaking was too complicated. The regret remains not to have seen him up there".
There was no competition with Hamilton.
"He is an incredible driver, but the fact that we put pressure on him is an excellent result, considering where we started. Rosberg broke the engine, so you can see that they are also pushed to the limit and can be fragile. We all have to be careful about reliability because every team is pushing to the limit. We are at the limit".
How far away are we from a Ferrari one-two?
"It would have been great to do it here in Monza. We've been chasing them for months, we're still a few millimetres short, but we're not giving up; maybe we'll catch them before the end of the season. At the latest, I repeat, in 2016. When we will be fighting for the title".
How did you feel when you saw Vettel on the podium?
"It was nice to see. But above all it was nice to see Ferrari, because the credit goes to this exceptional brand. The team comes first and Seb has the duty to make it a winner again".
On Saturday you said you were very happy.
"I am now, but it could have gone better".
Did Renzi manage to sweeten Ecclestone's drink with coffee about the future of Monza?
"Renzi is a giant. He could do it".
Vettel said: They can't take it away for disgusting financial reasons. Can such a Grand Prix disappear from the Championship?
"No, but it's a delicate matter. It's part of the history of F1, Ferrari is very attached to this circuit, but we can't get involved in the negotiations".
There has also been talk of supplying engines to Red Bull.
"It's a possibility".
Many meetings with Mercedes too.
"Our relationship is excellent. And we have the same idea about development in F1, which must be free. These cars are the result of technology. And they must be able to grow throughout the season without brakes".
Meanwhile, Force India's inventory after the Italian Grand Prix has revealed an unpleasant surprise: a spare steering wheel for the single-seaters has disappeared. A very expensive one, as it's a real computer worth around 100.000 euros. The wheel is thought to have been stolen during the night from Saturday to Sunday in the pit lane reserved for the team at the Monza circuit. Force India have reported the theft to the police, but it's difficult to trace the item. In the end, he left without saying a word.
But Matteo Renzi's impossible mission to save the Italian Grand Prix had begun at 12.30 p.m. amid the flashing cameras. Arriving in the paddock in Marchionne's red Fiat 500x, which he had picked up under the helicopter, the Prime Minister and his son went straight to Ecclestone's motorhome. The two spoke briefly (Minister Galletti was also present, as was Flavio Briatore for a greeting), just enough time to clarify their respective positions and intentions. Bernie, as we know, wants 25.000.000 euros and exclusivity for advertising inside the circuit. Renzi wants to keep the Grand Prix in Monza, but cannot and will not intervene directly. With this in mind, both sides have said they are willing to find a solution. At the moment, however, it is not known what that solution might be. In the end, Ecclestone confided that he was slightly more optimistic about a positive outcome to the negotiations than he had been last Thursday, when he thought it highly unlikely that the event would survive. After his visit to Ecclestone, Renzi was a guest at the Philip Morris motorhome, where he met Marchionne and Arrivabene, as well as Vettel and Raikkonen. Finally, the inevitable tour of the grid, where he joined CONI president Giovanni Malagò in applauding Il Volo as they sang the national anthem. Unfortunately, this was the end of the celebration of Italian excellence, because after the anthem, the race began. And the Germans and the English won hands down.