
Jules Bianchi, hospitalized in intensive care at the Mie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi, Japan, is in critical but stable condition. The medical bulletin reports diffuse axonal damage following the violent impact between the French driver's car and the trackside crane at Suzuka. This type of injury causes permanent and irreversible interruptions of axons, the conductors transmitting signals between neurons, resulting in a severe brain trauma for which there is no specific therapy. The FIA has initiated an investigation. The family of the unfortunate F1 driver, Jules Bianchi, victim of a tragic accident at the Japanese Grand Prix on Tuesday, October 7, 2014, expresses gratitude to everyone who has been supportive. On Wednesday, October 8, 2014, F1 boss Ecclestone intervenes with words that are likely to fuel controversies and discussions. The FIA also launches an investigation into the incident.
"Bianchi's accident was just a matter of bad luck".
Comments the Formula 1 boss on the serious incident that occurred in Suzuka involving the French Marussia driver, who is in critical condition in the intensive care unit of Kie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi.
"If I had known exactly when the storm would hit Suzuka, everything would have been easier. Instead, no one knew. In fact, according to forecasts, the weather conditions could have been even worse".
Meanwhile, the Bianchi family describes the driver's condition:
"Jules remains in the intensive care unit of Kie General Medical Center in Yokkaichi. He has suffered diffuse axonal damage and is in critical but stable condition. Hospital doctors are providing the best treatment and care, and we are grateful for everything they have done for Jules since his accident".
There are reportedly no internal injuries, but the nervous system has functional damage. The Federation has officially launched an investigation into the circumstances of the serious incident at the Japanese Grand Prix. The request comes directly from FIA President Jean Todt, and the race director at Suzuka, Charlie Whiting, who is also the head of the F1 technical department, is responsible for conducting the investigations. The report is still in development, says the FIA, which aims to have the most complete and detailed understanding of the incident. Meanwhile, Formula 1 arrives for the first time in Russia, discovering the brand-new Sochi circuit, previously the venue for the Winter Olympics. However, the atmosphere is far from joyful, with everyone's thoughts focused on Jules Bianchi, the French Marussia driver still fighting between life and death after the Suzuka incident. Confirmation comes from Fernando Alonso:
"We are still in shock; it is time for us all to be united. We will try to achieve a good result, also for him".
Speaking about Ferrari, Alonso aims for the podium in Russia:
"It is a possible goal; the car is gaining speed, and we have been more competitive. We will do our best in the last races even though we have wasted some opportunities".
In the meantime, during the week, Luca Montezemolo bids farewell to all the Ferrari staff in Maranello. In a press conference, Alonso expresses kind words about the now-former president:

"The president has been successful in his career and has made a significant contribution both on and off the track to Ferrari in many aspects. I have great respect for his career, and I have an excellent relationship with him; I wish him all the best for the future".
Within the F1 circus, the idea of conducting tests to try closed cockpits to increase safety gains momentum after the incident involving Jules Bianchi at Suzuka, according to Fernando Alonso.
"I'm generally inclined to agree, at least to test the idea. It's 2014, we have sufficient technology, we have airplanes and other examples where it's successfully used, so why not consider it? The worst accidents in recent years have been head injuries, and perhaps we haven't reached the peak of safety here. Even I could have died in Spa; it was a matter of centimeters. If there's technology, I don't rule out this possibility".
At Suzuka, Fernando was forced to retire, which is why he avoided the question about the dynamics of Bianchi's accident:
"There's an ongoing investigation on the safety car; at that moment, I wasn't on the track, so I can't judge the condition with great precision".
A different opinion, however, from Sebastian Vettel:
"If we look at F1 cars, one of the very special things is the open cockpit. On the other hand, there are other reasons to consider a closed cockpit in F1. With what has happened, it's right to think about it".
A difficult decision also for Jenson Button.
"There are positive effects from a safety standpoint, but this is F1. It has had an open cockpit since time immemorial, and it would be a big change, but I think this option will be considered".
For Daniel Kyat, who is doing well this year with Toro Rosso:
"When incidents like Bianchi's happen, you need to take a break and consider every aspect, but first, a solution like that must be tried and tested".
Informally, there are no doubts: Vettel will replace Alonso in Ferrari in 2015. But the official announcement has not arrived yet. The current reigning champion hopes it comes soon:
"I plan to provide news about my future as soon as possible. When I do, everything will be clear, and you can draw your conclusions".
But there won't be news: Vettel and Raikkonen will be Ferrari's drivers for the next season. Everyone in the Formula 1 paddock has a clear idea of Fernando Alonso's future, but Niki Lauda goes further, ensuring that the Spaniard has already signed with McLaren.
"The contract was signed on Thursday".

Says Niki Lauda, also responding to Ron Dennis, who had immediately denied signing with Alonso or any other driver for 2015 after rumors of an agreement between Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari (a three-year deal, 25.000.000 euros per season plus bonuses, according to German media) became more concrete. In reality, according to some, Alonso would have signed the contract not with the Woking team but with Honda. The Spanish driver says he can go wherever he wants whenever he wants. However, the doors of Mercedes, his first choice, seem closed. Lauda himself also assures that Lewis Hamilton won't move:
"He will be with us next year, and I hope for many more seasons".
Hamilton and Mercedes, a marriage destined to last for quite some time. The British driver, tied to the Anglo-German team for another year, dismisses rumors of a possible departure, also due to past controversies with colleague and rival in the race for the World Championship, Nico Rosberg:
"I feel very happy here; for me, it's like a family. Both I and the team have the pleasant feeling that we will stay together even beyond 2015".
Regarding Rosberg, Hamilton doesn't think there is different treatment between him and Nico:
"We have always been treated fairly, 100%. I have never thought that the team would favor Rosberg because he is German. And then we are talking about Mercedes, one of the most important and traditional brands in the world".
Therefore, despite rumors of Alonso possibly joining Mercedes after his confirmed departure from Ferrari, Hamilton dispels any doubts: he will stay with Mercedes, hoping to do so as the reigning champion. Meanwhile, even in Red Bull, they are convinced that Alonso will leave Ferrari to join McLaren, closing the door definitively with the announcement of Kvyat's signing. Helmut Marko explains:
"We considered him, but this went against our young driver program. No one can deny Fernando's qualities, but he already had very strong agreements with McLaren for 2015".
Unfortunately, hour by hour, from the intensive care unit at the Yokkaichi hospital in Japan, increasingly worse news arrives about Jules Bianchi's health. The situation, which appeared extremely serious after the accident, is now so desperate that the night is at risk: the brain damage suffered is terrifying. In Sochi, where the show must go on, there is a sparkling light, of the sea, and the sky that looks like enamel is the only beautiful thing on a day when everyone would like to be elsewhere. The atmosphere is that of nightmares: it had been twenty years since F1 experienced moments like these, and a sense of immortality had taken over everyone. An illusion. And so a new, unknown modesty takes hold of the words and thoughts of the paddock. Perhaps by chance, but for the first time in years, the pre-race press conference is not the usual receptacle of clichés and banalities. What are we doing here? What drives us to risk our lives? the drivers ask today. And the beautiful thing is that they answer each other. Sebastian Vettel says:
"We are here to share our passion for competition, and we are lucky because we can do it by driving the fastest cars in the world, the best. But it's true, there is always some risk associated with all this. Indeed, quite a few risks. But maybe it's precisely this danger that gives us that feeling that makes us feel alive".
Fernando Alonso, the man whom Sebastian Vettel has just taken the place of at Ferrari, listens and nods.

Jules Bianchi, he, was a personal friend; they played table tennis in Maranello, rode bicycles, challenged each other in Ferrari's mind room games, those to increase reactivity and peripheral vision. And now, thinking of him intubated in that bed, squeezes his heart. And also thinking of himself, enclosed in a Ferrari pretending to want to race.
"I will go on the track for him, I will try to be as professional as possible, but my head will be there, with Jules".
But something has to change:
"The FIA should test the idea of the cockpit for single-seaters. We are in 2014, we have the technology for something like that; it works on airplanes. Almost all the motorsport accidents in recent years have caused head injuries, so evidently safety in that area is not at the top. In 2012 at Spa, I could have died myself. I was saved by about ten centimeters".
The idea of the cockpit was already rejected once in 2011: it was not considered safe. It obstructed the quick extraction of the driver in case of an accident (which must happen in 5 seconds) and caused problems in case of fire or smoke. However, the impression is that those evaluations were a bit hasty, dictated more by cultural resistance than anything else, as Vettel explains:
"The Formula 1 has always been done with open cars; I don't know if I would like the cockpit. But at the moment, I prefer not to have opinions".
Someone who does have an opinion is Valentino Rossi, who, from Motegi, lashes out against the race direction:
"They should have stopped the race. And the crane should not have been there".
Says the Italian driver before getting photographed in front of the sign Forza Jules #17. One of the many support initiatives that are appearing in these hours on helmets and liveries. Also on that of Max Chilton's Marussia. The other Marussia, that of Jules Bianchi, will not be on the track. No third driver. It has been entered into the race as per regulations, but it will remain in the pits, with the engine off. Friday, October 12, 2014, starts the weekend of the Russian Grand Prix with Nico Rosberg calling, and Lewis Hamilton responding. It's the English driver of Mercedes, second in the morning, the fastest in the second free practice session of the Russian Grand Prix, an unprecedented event in the Formula 1 World Championship, scheduled on the new circuit of Sochi, where the cars hit the track less than a week after the race in Suzuka, characterized by the dramatic incident involving Jules Bianchi. Hamilton lowers by over 2.5 seconds the time that the German had set in the first session: 1'39"630 against 1'42"311. Hamilton's performance is a real show of strength since Kevin Magnussen, immediately behind with McLaren, is lagging more than 0.85 seconds, as well as Fernando Alonso, slightly slower and author of the third time. Not even Rosberg - who had outpaced Hamilton by 0.065 seconds in the first session - keeps up with his teammate and is 0.912 seconds behind, placing fourth. Kimi Raikkonen is not doing well: eighth in the morning, now he is only eleventh, two full seconds behind Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel improves, after the difficulties of the first session, he climbs up to ninth place, albeit more than a second and a half behind Hamilton, while the other Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo only marks the thirteenth best time. Force India's driver, Nico Hulkenberg, was subsequently penalized by five positions on the starting grid. The German had to replace the damaged gearbox in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, where he finished eighth. Five positions penalty also for Pastor Maldonado's Lotus, which will thus complete its ten-position penalty received before the Japanese Grand Prix with the first five lost in Suzuka. Marussia takes to the track only with Max Chilton as a sign of respect for the Frenchman Jules Bianchi, hospitalized in serious condition in Japan.

Chilton ranks last on the time sheet, 5 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton. Marussia had entered reserve driver Alexander Rossi for the race, but in the end, opted to field only one car, considering this choice the most appropriate given the difficult circumstances of the weekend. Max Chilton explains:
"There are no words to describe how truly devastated I am by what happened to Jules. The support from the Formula 1 family has been incredible, and all we can do is stand by Jules' family. It will be a very touching weekend for the whole team, but we will try to move forward and continue to pray for Jules".
Meanwhile, Philippe Bianchi, Jules Bianchi's father, says from Japan:
"There is no apparent change in Jules' condition. He is fighting as he always has, like in a race. He is strong".
The family members of the French driver reached the Yokkaichi hospital on Thursday evening. His father recounted the drama they are experiencing in an interview with Nice Matin, the newspaper of the city of Nice where Jules was born 25 years ago.
"It's hard to talk about it as a racing incident. In my eyes, it looks more like a road accident. Based on what happens, I will certainly have something to say later".
The driver's father emphasizes, moved by the many expressions of affection from the other drivers in the Circus.
"It's something extraordinary, even though I know Jules is a good guy. I liked the nice gesture from Jean Eric Vergne, a great friend of Jules, who created a sticker that will be on all the single-seaters in Sochi, from F1 to GP3".
On the incident involving the young French driver, Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone intervenes again.
"We have done everything possible to improve safety. Now we need to examine what happened and understand what else could be done to protect the drivers".
Ecclestone also recalls that an independent investigation by the FIA has been opened and rules out a press conference on the matter:
"I don't think it's necessary".
The Circus boss says he is shocked by what happened:
"My emotion for the driver is the same as everyone else's. Unfortunately, this is part of motor sports, but it shouldn't be like this".
Meanwhile, Luca di Montezemolo, on the Scuderia Ferrari's Twitter account, bids farewell to the factory two days before his last F1 Grand Prix as Ferrari's president. On Monday, October 13, 2014, he will be officially replaced by Sergio Marchionne.
"Goodbye Ferrari, the most beautiful company in the world made by exceptional people".

Another lap, another race: like on carousels, F1 repeats the Mercedes mantra that dominates the practices as usual. This time, it's the Russian Grand Prix, the sixteenth event of the Formula 1 World Championship, held on the new circuit in Sochi. It's a home race for Marussia, which, as a sign of respect, did not replace its beloved Jules Bianchi. The track continues to improve on Saturday. Mercedes continues to dominate the time sheets: the fastest in the final session is Lewis Hamilton, who is about 0.3 seconds ahead of his teammate Nico Rosberg. Hamilton finishes with a time below 1’39”0. Valtteri Bottas takes third place, while the first non-Mercedes driver is Daniel Ricciardo, who finishes the practice with the fourth time. Kevin Magnussen is forced to interrupt the session after only twenty minutes due to a gearbox failure, while Pastor Maldonado is slowed down by an ERS problem. At the end of the session, Magnussen, having to replace the gearbox, is penalized by the stewards with a five-place grid penalty. The same penalty is also given to Max Chilton. A few hours later, in the first phase of qualifying, Lewis Hamilton sets the best lap time again, ahead of Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas. Jenson Button, who finishes fifth, qualifies using Medium tires. Among the eliminated is Felipe Massa, penalized by a fuel pickup problem. The other drivers who do not enter the second phase are the two from Caterham, Max Chilton, and Pastor Maldonado. The Mercedes duo confirms as the fastest in the second phase as well. In this part of the qualifying, the reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel is eliminated, who, even with Soft tires, finishes with the eleventh time, preceded by Jean-Éric Vergne by just over a tenth. In addition to the German, the two from Force India, the two from Sauber, and Romain Grosjean are eliminated. In the decisive phase, Nico Rosberg sets the best time, followed by Valtteri Bottas and Jenson Button, who are the only ones, with the first attempt, to get close to the German. Midway through the session, Lewis Hamilton takes the lead in the time chart, thus securing pole position. Rosberg completes the front row, while the second remains with Bottas and Button. For Hamilton, it is pole position number 38 in his career, the seventh this season, achieved with a time of 1'38"513. Behind the formidable Mercedes pair are Williams' Valtteri Bottas and McLaren's Jenson Button, an excellent fifth place for the home favorite, Daniil Kvyat. Sixth time for Kevin Magnussen, but the McLaren driver loses five positions, and so the Russian will have Daniel Ricciardo alongside. The two Ferraris also benefit: Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, respectively eighth and ninth in qualifying, are promoted to the fourth row and will have Jean-Éric Vergne's Toro Rosso behind them. This time there were two outstanding expulsions: Massa with the very fast Williams practically at the start, and then Vettel, out in Q2.
"No power in the engine, but I still don't know what the problem is. If I knew, I would still be out there on the track".
Felipe Massa laments after being eliminated in the first round of qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix.
"I'm very sorry for what happened; the car is very competitive, and I start in P18. It's true that it's better to have a problem in qualifying rather than in the race; tomorrow we'll have to try to do our best".
The same goes for Sebastian Vettel, furious as well:
"Yesterday, we made a step forward, and this morning we were doing better, but now we made a mistake, maybe we were too aggressive, and in the end, we paid the price".
Sebastian Vettel tries to explain the flop in the qualifying of the Russian Grand Prix where he was eliminated in the second round.
"For tomorrow, the race looks tough; I think the tires are holding up well, a one-stop strategy will be the right one".

On Sunday, October 12, 2014, at the start of the Russian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg attempts to out-brake Lewis Hamilton into turn 2, but locks both of his front wheels, runs wide, and creates a flat spot on both tires. After returning the position to Hamilton, he makes a pit stop at the end of the lap, as the flat spots would create a vibration in the car given the high speeds and lateral loading on the tires. He immediately changes to the harder Prime compound, with the team switching to a strategy that calls for him to do the next fifty-two laps of the race on a single set of tires. Rosberg takes advantage of the pit strategies of other drivers and the straight-line speed of his car to gradually work his way through the field. Behind him, Felipe Massa attempts to replicate his strategy, also making a pit stop on the first lap but switching to the softer Option compound. He is less successful than Rosberg, hampered by slower midfield drivers. At the front of the field, Valtteri Bottas is able to keep up with Hamilton during the early stages of the race, but Hamilton is able to gradually build up a forty-second lead by the time of the first - and only - round of pit stops, giving him enough of a buffer to pit without losing the lead, even when faced with the lowered speed limit and lengthy pit lane of the Sochi Autodrom. Hamilton is unchallenged throughout the race, ultimately winning by thirteen seconds ahead of Rosberg following his recovery and giving the team their ninth one-two finish of the season. Bottas finishes in third, his fifth podium of the season, having been overtaken by Rosberg on track. Despite having fresher tires and setting a series of laps among the fastest in the race - including the fastest lap and the official lap record - he is unable to catch Rosberg in the final laps. McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen finish fourth and fifth, giving Mercedes-powered cars the top five places in the final standings. McLaren attempts to adjust Button's strategy to place ahead of Rosberg after his pit stop but is powerless to prevent Rosberg from overtaking. Magnussen spends the early phase of the race in a strategy battle with Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, and Sebastian Vettel, which he ultimately wins. Alonso finishes in sixth, the first non-Mercedes-powered driver across the line, having spent most of the race fending off Ricciardo. After spending most of the weekend struggling with an underpowered and underperforming car, Vettel secures four World Championship points with eighth place. Kimi Räikkönen and Sergio Pérez complete the top ten.
Felipe Massa's attempt at replicating Rosberg's strategy fails, leaving him outside the points in eleventh place, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg. Despite qualifying in fifth and tenth, Toro Rosso drivers Daniil Kvyat and Jean-Éric Vergne finish in fourteenth and thirteenth place respectively, having been forced to race conservatively in the face of high fuel consumption and a predicted 12 °C drop in temperature in the final stages of the race, which never eventuates. Esteban Gutiérrez leads Sauber teammate Adrian Sutil across the line one lap down with the latter's race having been disrupted by contact with Romain Grosjean at turn 2 for which Grosjean was punished with a five-second stop/go penalty. Grosjean ultimately finishes seventeenth ahead of Pastor Maldonado, with Marcus Ericsson the final classified finisher in nineteenth place, two laps behind Hamilton. The race sees two retirements, with Kamui Kobayashi forced out on lap twenty-one with what the team describes as a brake issue, though Kobayashi later suggests that Caterham had deliberately retired the car to avoid damaging its power unit ahead of the next race. He also reports that the team had found damage to a suspension wishbone following free practice 3, and that with no replacement part available, the team had repaired the damage by fusing the wishbone together with carbon, a solution that Kobayashi feels is unsafe. Marussia's difficult race lasts just nine laps, with Max Chilton reporting an unusual vibration in his front-left suspension, and the team elects to retire the car rather than risk a suspension failure. Mercedes celebrates: with three races to spare, the Anglo-German team wins the Constructors' World Championship and once again shows the world what its cars are capable of. Lewis Hamilton starts at the front and goes on to win, while Nico Rosberg, known for his usual suicidal attack at the first turn (damaging the tires, going to the pits on the second lap), finds himself at the bottom, recovers everyone in a crazy comeback, and finishes second. Incredible. There's no stopping these silver arrows, and others are left with only crumbs. Valtteri Bottas climbs to the third step of the podium with the Williams, ahead of Jenson Button and the Dane Kevin Magnussen in the McLarens. Then comes Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari, who had a beautiful start but was later condemned by a small issue during the pit stop and, above all, by the decline in Ferrari's performance.

In seventh and eighth positions are the two Red Bulls, far from their recent past, with Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel. Ninth is Kimi Raikkonen with the other Ferrari. Mexican Sergio Perez also scores points with Force India. Regarding points, Lewis Hamilton's fourth consecutive victory, ninth of the season, and the 31st of his career, allow him to solidify his lead in the standings with 291 points. Nico Rosberg is second with 274 points. A nice haul for the Englishman, who now begins to see the World Championship title within reach.
"I'm very happy; it's been a fantastic week thanks to the fans and the organizers. I can't wait to come back here many more times, and I might even come for vacation".
This is how Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes driver, expresses himself after receiving the award from Russian President Vladimir Putin as the winner of the first Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix.
"Nico made a mistake at the start, but the car was fantastic, and it was perfect. We did something extraordinary as a team, winning the Constructors' Championship".
Hamilton then greets the fans in Russia with the traditional spasiba, while Nico Rosberg, finishing second after a great comeback, admits his mistake:
"The team had an excellent strategy, the car was fantastic, and we are happy. I'm disappointed in myself because I messed up, but I'm happy for the team that deserves this title. I can smile a bit for that".
Niki Lauda, the non-executive chairman of Mercedes, is also satisfied:
"I'm so happy, the first time in the history of F1. It was long and difficult, but victory finally came. Are Hamilton and Rosberg now free? Always free, they were even today".
In Ferrari, thoughts are already turning to the future, which, unless there are dramatic twists, won't include Fernando Alonso:
"For two or three months, everything has been decided in my mind. Everything is going in the direction I want, and at the right time, I will make the right decision for myself and for Ferrari. For me, the priority is for Ferrari to be at the top".
Read in the light of the Mercedes triumph, Ferrari's Sunday is a disaster far worse than the usual dismal placements of its two drivers -Alonso in sixth, Raikkonen in ninth - would suggest. Because the German typhoon passed through the red camp, destroying everything, both on and off the track, in the button room, where team principal Marco Mattiacci is trying to rebuild the long-collapsed red castle. Mattiacci's idea was straightforward: impose a change to the engine freezing regime on the system. It was the first stone of his rebuilding. But Mercedes blocked everything. Currently, the FIA rules allow intervention on only 48% of the engine for 2015, and during the winter work. Then, once the season is underway, it will be impossible to touch the engine again. If, by doing this, the competitors manage to close the gap with Mercedes in February, well and good. Otherwise, the Anglo-German team will win the next World Championship even more easily, as rumors suggest they already have an updated version of the current engine with about fifty more horsepower ready. In recent weeks, Mattiacci has woven his web, convincing the entire paddock of the need to change the freezing regime: not increasing the amount of engine one can intervene on but extending the time for intervention throughout the entire season.

A way to be more flexible and responsive in case of difficulties. Initially, even Mercedes agreed in Singapore. But then, at the time of the vote in Sochi, they backtracked, lacking the unanimity needed to pass the rule for 2015, thus determining the first major defeat of Mattiacci's management. He had tolerated the reduction of the number of test days for the next year (increasing tests has always been a Ferrari battle horse) just to get the thawing line through. And now he finds himself penalized on both fronts. In recent days, not-so-friendly words have been exchanged between the two parties. Ferrari accused Toto Wolff of not keeping his commitments, and the Austrian manager counterclaimed, accusing Ferrari of wanting to introduce rules that violate cost containment:
"If you make an engine in February and then redo it in June, you develop it twice. I don't know what calculations Ferrari has made, but maybe they need a calculator".
Marco Mattiacci responds, after the customary congratulations to the World Champions:
"The thing with the calculator was not very elegant on Wolff's part. Let's say we see it differently; for us, providing a more competitive engine to our customers is also a way to give them the opportunity to score more points and therefore earn more. But the truth is, a Formula 1 where you have to wait a year to develop engines is inconceivable for us".
The game is not over yet. The decisive F1 commission is expected shortly, where Marco Mattiacci, supported by the FIA (Todt), FOM (Ecclestone), and other constructors, will try everything to overturn the situation. A significant test for the new Ferrari under Sergio Marchionne. Meanwhile, there is no celebration in the Mercedes box, as promised, out of respect for Jules Bianchi and the dramatic hours his family is going through. Only a black shirt, with the words of the day written on it, and nothing else: Mercedes World Champion 2014. Because even without champagne and cheers, it's undeniable that the joy at Mercedes is immense. After five years of crazy investments and painful disappointments, winning the first Constructors' World Championship in the glorious history of the three-pointed star is a great satisfaction. A domination like this, with silver cars always in pole position or always in contention for the first position, and the title won with three races to spare, hasn't been seen since the 1954-1955 era when Fangio was the hare and everyone else was behind, chasing. Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, says during the evening:
"Michael Schumacher's work is behind this triumph".
And it does him credit, even if it's not entirely true. Because while it's true that Michael Schumacher, in 2010, immediately after the announcement of his return to Formula 1 with Mercedes, embraced the project by betraying the solid relationship he had built over the years with Ferrari, bringing credibility, experience, and sponsors from Maranello, it's also true that the German never achieved any appreciable results. More importantly, the victories - indeed, the victories, as yesterday's seems to be just the first of many - came through a path where Michael had no role. Politics. Exactly the same politics that led to Ferrari's defeats. The origin of the Mercedes era lies in the strength of a management group - primarily Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda - that managed to convince the steamroller owner Bernie Ecclestone and, consequently, Jean Todt's FIA, to redirect Formula 1 towards new territories, those of hybrid engines, efficiency, and savings. Wolff and Lauda were able to initiate and sustain a cultural revolution, steering the entire motorsport movement towards positions close to those already taken by the parent company. In short, Mercedes' ability was not to build a good engine according to the 2014 regulations but to have the 2014 regulations written based on the type of engine they had been building in the Brixworth factory for years. The funny thing is that the maneuver was done with Ferrari's consent, which never understood anything about hybrid engines. Now, realizing the extent of the disaster, Ferrari has rushed to the market in a desperate search for engineers with knowledge, reaching out to Audi and Toyota.

In 2009, when the FIA announced that it would remove KERS from the 2010 regulations, Ferrari celebrated, even organizing a humorous funeral for the device, which they disliked so much in Maranello. In those same days, every morning, the Mercedes F1 workers entered the factory and passed by an engine placed on a pedestal under a fixed spotlight, like a contemporary art installation. It was the first engine built by the German company with a KERS. And it's still there, under that spotlight, today. Jenson Button won a World Championship with it, but that's just a detail. What matters is that Stuttgart's factory has always focused on that type of hybrid propulsion. It considered it strategic long before Formula 1 understood it. And now, it's simply reaping the rewards. The real spectacle of the first Russian Grand Prix takes place away from the track, after the race. When Vladimir Putin enters the drivers' room to meet the winner, but Lewis Hamilton deliberately turns his back on him, ignoring him. The scene lasts a moment but is captured by FOM cameras and broadcast worldwide. Within a couple of hours, it's on YouTube, delighting the English public, which Hamilton is very sensitive to and has been pushing for weeks not to hold the Grand Prix consistently with the Russia embargo, and angering the local fans. The scene is clear: Lewis enters the room, shakes hands with Ecclestone, passes by Putin, who waits in vain for a nod, but Lewis turns his back on the president and heads towards Valtteri Bottas, the third-placed driver. Then he goes to the other side of the room. All this with an aggravating factor that may not be negligible for Putin's ego: about a dozen grid girls witness the scene. The incident is the most interesting moment of a day that, from a sporting point of view, has only replicated the usual spectacle, with Mercedes dominating and others chasing. To give a dimension to this dominance, which earned them the Constructors' World Championship with three races to spare, just consider Nico Rosberg's performance. After a foolish maneuver at the start, the German driver was forced to pit on the first lap, leading to a strategy that would have ruined anyone's race: 52 laps on a single set of tires. But Rosberg's Mercedes started clocking laps, gliding lightly over the asphalt surface with a pace more akin to a hovercraft than a car, finishing second. If this is what Rosberg showed, Hamilton, starting in front with no one to chase, had a leisurely stroll, gaining another seven points over Rosberg and enjoying the satisfaction of snubbing Putin. A snub that won't have consequences, as Ecclestone promptly puts everything back in order.
"Mr. President, do me a personal favor, come and award the first-place finisher".
He says to his friend Vladimir, who receives a handshake from the British pilot. Previously, following the Russo-Ukrainian political crisis and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine near the town of Hrabove, in the Donetsk Oblast, an area witnessing conflicts between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists, about 50 kilometers west of the Russia-Ukraine border, some political figures, including Ari Vatanen, former rally champion and ex-Member of the European Parliament, had called for a boycott of the race. There was also speculation that the race might be canceled, given the challenging political situation, and replaced with a Grand Prix to be held in Baku. However, Bernie Ecclestone consistently advocated for the race's continuation, emphasizing Formula 1's detachment from political issues. Even the existing embargo measures imposed by the European Union and the United States against Russia did not affect the race, as stated by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. The threats of boycott, nevertheless, slowed down ticket demands from abroad. Regardless, after the Russian Grand Prix concludes, the Formula 1 driver puzzle is nearing completion, and the future of Fernando Alonso has not yet been decided. With Sebastian Vettel joining Ferrari (there's no official announcement yet, but it's practically certain), Red Bull trusting Kvyat, and the expected confirmations of Rosberg and Hamilton at Mercedes, the options for the Spanish driver are narrowing. However, the former Ferrari driver doesn't seem concerned:
"I won't be left without a seat, and I won't take a sabbatical year. My future has been decided for a few months, but I will announce it at the right moment".
As anticipated by Niki Lauda in recent days, Fernando Alonso's future will likely be with McLaren, a team that has courted him for at least two years.

"I will do the best for my future, the best for Ferrari's future, as I have always done because it has been my priority for several years. So, my decision, both on and off the track, will be to help this fantastic team, and I am still happy with the things we have done".
Farewell words, awaiting the official announcement.
"I am not in a hurry to announce my future. As I said in Sochi, I understand the curiosity, and I understand the fans who are concerned about my future. Just relax, have fun, and when the time comes to know it, you will".
The Safety Car wasn't supposed to come out; it was normal to have a tractor on the track. The green flag was the right one, and the race should not have been interrupted. Nothing could have been done better than it was. If there weren't a 25-year-old in critical condition, it could be concluded that nothing happened in Suzuka. However, something did happen. But Charlie Whiting, the race director, in the press conference where the FIA provides an update after the incident, gives his explanation: it's all Bianchi's fault for not slowing down enough when he saw the yellow flags. For Whiting, who has the full trust of FIA President Jean Todt, the case is closed. Moreover, how could an investigation conducted by the main party involved end differently? Jean Todt assures:
"Now Whiting's report will be evaluated by a panel of experts".
However, it will be appointed by the FIA, so once again, it will investigate itself, ending up blaming someone else. It's unlikely that Jules Bianchi will be acquitted, especially since nothing has been done from an investigative standpoint after such an incident. Candidly - so to speak - Charlie Whiting admitted not having spoken to the only eyewitness, Adrian Sutil, not having examined the telemetry accurately, not being able to provide a single precise numerical data, and not having analyzed the car. Then what did he do in these five days? The lack of a car analysis is the most unsettling aspect of the matter.
"The data tell us that there was no failure".
Too bad we couldn't visually confirm what the data say, given that the car was never taken by the FIA but was promptly returned to Marussia, which could have inadvertently contaminated the evidence since then.
"It's somewhere in our possession".
The truth is that everyone claims to be deeply saddened by what happened to Jules Bianchi, but no one seems to genuinely want to understand the reasons or ascertain any responsibility. There is no established procedure for cases like this, no rule that dictates, in advance, who and how should investigate and who and how should judge. Motorsport is dominated by an Anglo-Saxon risk culture: drivers accept the danger, and if they die or get hurt, it's their problem; they knew what they were getting into. During the investigation into Senna's death, Italian police and magistrates were accused of excessive zeal by the English public opinion and, therefore, by the entire F1. Now, everyone can't wait to turn the page and get back to talking about KERS and DRS. Thus, journalists and industry insiders are all relieved to hear that phrase, which seems like an insult to Italians: nothing could have been done better in Suzuka. Not even the transport to the hospital: the helicopter, it turns out, couldn't fly, and so Jules Bianchi arrived seven minutes late by car according to standards.
"Seven minutes that, however, did not affect the driver's health conditions".

Specifies the FIA investigation. The blame-shifting game, inelegantly initiated by the FIA on Friday, which blamed Jules Bianchi for the Suzuka incident, has its second episode. It happens on Saturday, during the Russian Grand Prix qualifying, overshadowed on the track by the usual Mercedes and dominated off the track by anxiety for Jules Bianchi, the Marussia driver whose condition hasn't been updated, and everyone knows what no one says: it's not a good sign. Evading questions about tires and trajectories, the more experienced and personality-driven drivers, who, given the Federation, are better not to mess with, find themselves dealing with the content of the embarrassing autodafé in which Charlie Whiting, the race director of Suzuka, and Jean Todt (FIA President), acquitted themselves for what happened, blaming Jules Bianchi for all the responsibility: it's his fault that he didn't slow down. The first to intervene is Fernando Alonso, a personal friend of Jules Bianchi.
"I haven't read the conclusions of the FIA's preliminary investigation thoroughly yet, but certainly, it seems to me that there are still things to clarify. The major problem is that there was a tractor on the track. Safety is top-notch in F1; the cars are indestructible, but we have never tested with a tractor on the track".
In other words, whether Jules Bianchi slowed down or not is irrelevant. If there hadn't been that tractor around while the race was still in progress, the French driver would be standing comfortably now. A little further away, Felipe Massa explains more or less the same thing, emphasizing another delicate aspect for the FIA.
"Drivers never respect the true meaning of yellow flags. Not because they are bad or stupid. Simply, when it comes to slowing down, they do the minimum required by the FIA. The truth is that drivers have never slowed down with double yellows; they have always limited themselves to going a bit slower than the previous lap, exactly what Jules did, and the FIA has never fined them for this, nor has it ever had anything to say. They say they want to use a limiter in the incident zones from next year, it will certainly work. Up until the end of the year, Safety cars are also fine. Indeed, they would have been fine in Suzuka too. What happened wouldn't have happened".
Felipe Massa, whose thoughts are widely shared by other drivers, sends back the other accusation made by Charlie Whiting, that of not telling the whole truth on Sunday evening when he claimed to have shouted over the radio to stop the race.
"I shouted, of course I shouted. I said it was unacceptable to continue in those conditions. Charlie may not have heard well".