Ecclestone defends Schumacher: now the German driver really has to worry. And already because, as always - from the spy story to Alonso in McLaren - every time the F1 boss tries to defend someone, hell breaks loose around his protege. But while F1 insiders, drivers, and the entire paddock joke about Uncle Bernie's now famous fatal embrace, German media and Schumacher's fans celebrate Ecclestone's words:
"Mercedes made the right choice in creating its own team. The German team has been in this world for 100 years. It has always been there. The others come and go. BMW came when I was at Brabham, we won the world championship with them, and then they left. Toyota came from rallying and then decided to focus on F1. I probably shouldn't say what I'm about to say, but I think the team was poorly managed because otherwise, they would still be with us".
Returning to Mercedes, Ecclestone supports the decision to convince Michael Schumacher to return to the track:
"It was a touch of magic. This Schumi-Mercedes combination is fascinating and has enormous potential for success. Perhaps the only other significant combination currently on the track is Alonso and Ferrari. Michael is an asset to all teams, and then Mercedes can save a lot of money because they can get rid of the team manager, since Michael has already done it at Benetton and Ferrari. How do I judge him after the first four races? I am sure Norbert would be the first to admit that Michael's results do not match his potential, but Mercedes is not yet on the same level as Red Bull and McLaren. Anyone who criticizes Michael is wrong. He deserves more consideration".
Certainly, in his heart, Michael Schumacher expected less difficulty in returning to the Formula 1 World Championship. Instead, the German driver's return to racing is not yielding the hoped-for results, at least for now: both on the track, with four Grands Prix lacking satisfaction for the seven-time champion (criticized even by those who worked with him in the past, such as Flavio Briatore), and off the track, with less appeal even for sponsors. Willi Weber, Schumacher's agent, admits that the champion's name no longer sells as it did in the past, and fewer and fewer want to bet on him as a testimonial.
"The market is not going as I had hoped, it's a bit weak, there's a kind of Schumi fatigue".
Certainly, a non-secondary role is played by the international economic crisis, which has not spared the four-wheeled circus, one of the most expensive sports in terms of budget. The exodus of sponsors is explained in colorful terms by Weber:
"It's easier to find a fifty-year-old virgin than a sponsor for F1".
However, there are also other reasons for this disenchantment with the World Champion. Yes, because sponsors' attention is now focused on a younger driver, compatriot Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull's driver, often indicated as Schumacher's heir. Willi Weber says:
"Vettel is the new Schumi and appears everywhere: on billboards, on TV, in short, he is number one. Michael has left a void in which Sebastian has been swallowed, and this is also because Vettel wins and Michael not yet".
Changing the subject, from next year, Bridgestone will abandon the F1 circus. So far, three suppliers have come forward: after the candidacies of Avon and Michelin, on Thursday, April 22, 2010, Pirelli also announced that it is considering involvement in F1. Teams would like to find a definitive solution by the next Spanish Grand Prix, but the times may not be respected. After the recent (but inconclusive) meetings in Shanghai, FOTA was clear: clarity must be made as soon as possible, preferably by the next Grand Prix, on the tire issue.
The FIA has not specified whether there will still be a single-tire regime or not, and certainly, this does not help. Michelin has indeed set as a condition for its return to compete with another supplier (that is, no single tire) and 18-inch tires. It may seem absurd, but FOTA seems to support this proposal that would once again upset the technical regulations, despite the talk of stability. Pirelli is also in favor of this change. Paul Hembury, director of the motorsport department of the Italian company, says:
"There is nothing concrete, but we have heard about the possibility of providing 18-inch tires. The fact that commercial conditions have changed compared to the past makes F1 something we could deal with. We would not rule out a tire war with another supplier, but we do not believe it is the time to spend a lot of money developing faster and faster tires. We remain in contact with the FIA and Ecclestone".
So yes to 18 inches but no to competition between suppliers. On the other hand, Americans from Avon would not change the size of the tires, and they seem to have the support of Ecclestone, ready to absorb the staff that Bridgestone would lay off. Since each supplier has different ideas, it is difficult for the issue to be resolved by the next Grand Prix. It is possible, therefore, that this negotiation between FOTA, FIA, Ecclestone, and suppliers continues longer than expected. All three suppliers have a common past in F1: Michelin, after its return in 2001, left the top formula in 2006; Pirelli raced the last Grand Prix in 1991, while Avon did so in 1982. The single-tire regime has been in place since 2007, when Bridgestone took total control after the departure of the French. However, in the meantime, the European season of Formula 1 begins, and Fernando Alonso will be able to race at home: on the Montmelò circuit, the Ferrari driver will have all the support of his compatriots.
"In this home race, I have an extra motivation to do well: when I race in Spain, I give 100% because people expect a lot from me. Pressure? It's there, but positive motivations are more intense. I want to regain the leadership of the world championship as soon as possible".
The Spanish driver tries to analyze the Grand Prix from a more technical point of view.
"You have to be good at maintaining speed in corners, and good aerodynamics are essential. It is important to have an excellent qualifying: all those who start in pole position manage to win or at least get on the podium".
Fernando Alonso is satisfied with Ferrari's season so far:
"The balance for now is positive. We lost some points due to some mistakes, but we are close enough to the top. The F10 can win the championship; now more than ever, we must show that we want to win the World Championship".
The Spanish driver aims to return to the top of the standings and assures that he is not worried about the reliability of his F10, which will present some news on the Spanish circuit, the most significant of which is the adoption of the blown rear wing, the system called F-duct designed by McLaren to go faster on the straight.
"We have made some small changes and improvements to the engine. These are not dramatic changes, and we have no fear regarding reliability. Tomorrow we will try the blown wing; it will be important to evaluate whether to use it in the race and in qualifying".
Alonso also emphasizes that he is very attached to the Montmelò circuit, where he will race for the first time as a Ferrari driver:
"It is a race of intense emotions for me. Here, like in Valencia, I dream of winning. This year, even the one in Monza will be a special race for me and my team".
Felipe Massa, on the other hand, is more cautious:
"The championship is long, the car is competitive, and we hope to find better weather conditions than in the past Grand Prix".
The Brazilian agrees with the Spaniard on the importance of qualifications:
"The Catalunya circuit is unique: there are not many overtaking opportunities, and the qualifying sessions are crucial. We will have new aerodynamic pieces, the rear wing that we will try for the first time on Friday, and other small details. We are heading in the right direction to fight for victory and can score a lot of points".
Felipe Massa has no fear of racing in front of his teammate's fans.
"The Spaniards are very kind to me, and I know this track very well. It's a track that everyone knows, and we have a competitive car for sure. We showed in the first race that we can fight for victory, but in other races, we were competitive for a good position. However, we need to work on making changes and improving performance in each race. The blown wing? We need to try it on the track to see how much it will give us. We need to do better in qualifying; it's important for a consistent race".
The Brazilian assures that he has already forgotten about Alonso's overtaking at the pit entrance in China.
"Have I forgotten it? Yes, we have to look forward and score many points in the upcoming races, and I think I will".
From the current teammate to the former great Schumacher, Massa still has confidence in the seven-time World Champion's comeback:
"If you ask a tennis player or a footballer to come back after three years, I don't think they can win a Grand Slam tournament or the Ballon d'Or. He had an incredible career. Coming back is always a risk, but it's important to give him some time; the talent is intact. I think he can improve later on. But it might not happen".
But the message is clear after the one-two in Shanghai, following Jenson Button's previous victory: McLaren is returning to its former glory, competitive and winning. Not surprisingly, Lewis Hamilton is confident of playing a leading role in the 2010 World Championship. After the first four races, the English driver has 49 points and is 11 points behind the leader, his teammate and compatriot, Jenson Button. The Caribbean-born talent, the 2008 World Champion, leads another ranking where he truly seems to have no rivals: in four races, he has made 32 overtakes.
"Really, 32? In a race, I always give my all, always run at the maximum. I'm not afraid to overtake other drivers; I love fighting on the track. I'm happy to have done it in the last two Grand Prix, and I hope the fans enjoyed it. If I were a spectator, I would want to see many overtakes. I have to admit that the car helps me this year: it provides all the confidence needed to attack, the braking is excellent, and it's easier to make successful maneuvers".
McLaren is coming off a one-two in the Chinese Grand Prix, with Button finishing first under the checkered flag, followed by Hamilton.
"It was a very satisfying result for the whole team. I know how hard we worked. We built this one-two from the beginning of last year. In 2009, I remember saying that the victories would be even sweeter because they would come after hard work. Now, the effort is paying off".
What makes everything even more positive is the fantastic atmosphere in the garage, as well as the relationship with the teammate.
"Jenson is a great driver; we can learn from each other. I think this has helped us develop a very competitive car. We have a lot of experience, but we continue to learn, and I believe the car can still improve. We have several new developments, some for Barcelona".
The Spanish Grand Prix on May 9, 2010, marks the beginning of the European season of Formula 1 after races in Australia, Bahrain, Malaysia, and China. The British team aims to confirm its position at the top, perhaps improving in areas where it still lacks.
"We need to focus on our pace in qualifying. In China, we made progress, but there is still a long way to go. We will succeed. Above all, I can win races with this car. It is the most solid I have driven, and I am sure the victories will come".
On Friday, May 7, 2010, the first practice session was incident-free, except for Sauber's Pedro de la Rosa falling victim to a gearbox failure. Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button led the timing sheets for McLaren, with Michael Schumacher experiencing a resurgence to finish third after a poor start to his 2010 campaign. The German later admitted that the team's updates to the W01 had inspired more confidence in him. Local favorite Fernando Alonso was eighth for Ferrari, sandwiched between the Renaults of Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov. Heikki Kovalainen was once again the fastest of the new teams, his Lotus T127 finishing four seconds slower than Hamilton and less than two behind the Williams of Nico Hülkenberg. Hülkenberg would later provide drama in the second session when an off-track excursion at the exit of Campsa resulted in an impact with the wall that tore the front wing off. Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari stopped on the circuit with just a few minutes remaining in the session, with the recovery truck hitting a bridge as it returned the stricken car to the pits. The session was topped by Sebastian Vettel, followed closely by teammate Mark Webber, and Schumacher once again setting the third-fastest time. Alonso improved to fourth, while the McLarens of Hamilton and Button slipped backward, with Hamilton finishing fifth and Button ninth. Jarno Trulli supplanted teammate Kovalainen as the fastest of the new teams. Without concrete and definitive data to support the analysis - Fridays are always like this, with teams hiding behind different fuel loads, setups, and work programs - one has to rely on instinct, on faces. And the faces at Ferrari, at the end of the two free practice sessions, are quite relaxed. The car, with its load of aerodynamic and engine innovations, seems to be doing quite well, and the team works calmly despite the air around here being still full of heavy words spoken by Alonso on Thursday night, on the eve of one of the most important weekends of the year:
"From here on, we can't make mistakes anymore; there's no margin".
The stopwatch, however, has relative importance for now. And it tells of the usual dominance of Red Bull, followed by a resurgent Michael Schumacher, more than 0.5 seconds behind. Ross Brawn has revolutionized his Mercedes, and a lot of work seems to have paid off; perhaps the championship has found another protagonist. Then a group composed of the two Ferraris (Alonso, fourth, ahead of Massa in eighth), Hamilton (fifth, but the impression is that he has hidden his cards, and McLaren is among the favorites for the race), Kubica, and the other Mercedes, that of Rosberg. Jenson Button sets the ninth-best time.
However, to know the real balance at this crucial moment of the season (the impression is that only those who are competitive here in Barcelona can really think about competing for the championship until the end), we have to wait for qualifying. Only then will we know if Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes have reduced, even slightly, the gap that has separated them from Red Bull in recent appearances. Alonso, the home master, seems moderately optimistic, perhaps comforted by the first positive feelings from the so-called blown wing, the aerodynamic mechanism that Ferrari engineers have copied from McLaren's F-duct (the driver, by blocking a hole with his knee, intervenes from inside the cockpit, improving the car's performance, especially on the straight). After weeks of study, Ferrari has opted for a system that activates by raising the right elbow, and apparently, the choice has proven to be effective, although the innovation seems to have caused some handling problems on slow corners. On the Montmelo circuit, Felipe Massa drives with a black glove, but the black hand that leaves its mark and scares everyone on the first day of the Spanish Grand Prix is that of Red Bull, bold and ingenious, like the creator Adrian Newey, who in a high aerodynamic load circuit like this has always dominated the competition already with Williams or McLaren. The Red Bull runs like a missile, and the young Sebastian Vettel is its worthy champion, an unleashed driver capable of beating his teammate Mark Webber by 0.2s in the second free practice, 0.8s to the revived Michael Schumacher with the improved Mercedes, and the local idol Fernando Alonso, optimistic about the race but resigned to qualifying, more than ever committed to warming the hearts of fans (expected in 50.000 on Saturday, 100.000 on Sunday) and checking the boost that the new blown rear wing can provide (the definition is Ferrari's), the mechanism invented at the beginning of the season by McLaren, manually operated by the driver, which everyone is now rushing to copy. Alonso is giving it his all, but the gap from Vettel is huge and more than ever unsettling. The two Red Bulls are frightening; even the Australian Mark Webber is not joking, and it's not them saying it, but the frightened opponents. Jenson Button, the leader of the World Championship, with two victories in his positive debut at McLaren, does nothing to hide his fear. They are unbeatable machines. In truth, the exact translation from English of your sentence is 'untouchable.' In a concept of dominance, it conveys the idea even better. An obsession that belongs to Alonso as well, who swears to fight but admits in the meantime:
"They are the favorites on tracks like Barcelona, Budapest, and Monaco, where aerodynamics matter a lot; they can only lose there. It's different in Bahrain, and in fact, I won there, as I hope will happen in Turkey. They might struggle there".
As demonstrated by the times in the first sector, straight and a couple of fast corners, with Alonso in the lead. Unfortunately, it's just an intermediate, the final summary says that Massa, very disappointed, is almost 1.4s behind, too much. Fernando Alonso claims that a podium is possible, while Felipe Massa wonders about the steps back compared to the February tests.
"Now my Ferrari is sliding a bit everywhere. I have to understand why. McLaren and Mercedes are within our reach, Red Bulls are not".
The refrain is the same, and the only ones who seem not to believe it too much are Vettel and Webber themselves. The German driver says:
"Don't pay attention to the times; McLaren has hidden something. When it comes to the pole, we will be very close".
And Webber confirms:
"They pulled the brakes; I don't trust it".
And Michael Schumacher? For the fourth time (out of 13 free practice sessions), he has beaten his teammate Nico Rosberg, speaking of a great step forward:
"I finally have a Formula 1 car in my hands".
His return is harshly criticized, but a podium will be enough, and everyone will change their minds. Even his manager, Willi Weber, is abandoning him:
"Vettel is much faster".
But he shrugs:
"I am still a winner, and I will prove it".
On Saturday, May 8, 2010, the third session is marked by separate incidents involving Petrov and Kamui Kobayashi, both of whom find a puddle of standing water in the middle of the Repsol corner just minutes apart. Kobayashi survives unscathed, but Petrov spins and crashes. The damage to his R30 is extensive enough to warrant the team changing his gearbox, earning himself a five-place grid penalty. Similar penalties are applied to both Virgin Racing cars after the team fails to notify the FIA of changes to their gear ratios before the deadline, and to Hispania's Karun Chandhok, who replaces his gearbox. Qualifying is a race to see who will place third on the grid as the Red Bulls of Webber and Vettel set the fastest times in each of the three sessions. Webber goes on to take pole position. Q1 sees the elimination of the six newcomers - a running theme throughout the season - as well as the Williams of Rubens Barrichello. Barrichello claims he is unable to understand his engineer while out on the circuit. The Circuit de Catalunya has a history of radio-related problems; during practice sessions for the 2009 race, Mark Webber reports being able to hear Spanish truck drivers talking to one another over CB radios. Lotus is once again the fastest of the newcomers, with Trulli and Kovalainen qualifying nineteenth and twentieth respectively, ahead of the two Virgins and the two Hispanias.The second session is similarly themed, as Sutil, de la Rosa, Hülkenberg, Petrov, Buemi, Alguersuari, and Liuzzi all fall away. Just four tenths of a second separate all but Alguersuari and Liuzzi from making it into Q3.
Elsewhere, Mercedes elects not to send Michael Schumacher out to join everyone else late in the session as they are confident his time will be enough to see him through to the final session. Ferrari commits to a similar course of action in 2009, with the end result being that Kimi Räikkönen is eliminated early on. The final ten-minute period is once again dominated by Red Bull, with Webber to the fore. Hamilton edges out local hero Alonso for third on the grid, while Button narrowly misses out on putting his MP4-25 alongside his teammate. Schumacher slots into sixth place, followed by Kubica, Nico Rosberg, Felipe Massa, and Kobayashi. Ferrari is later fined US$ 20.000 (in keeping with the sport's strict financial penalty rule) for an unsafe release that sees Alonso deployed directly into the path of Rosberg; the young German is forced to swerve in the direction of the pit wall - and comes close to contact with it - in order to avoid a collision. Fernando Alonso ignites the fans and seems like a Martian. He completes a fantastic lap and elicits cheers of amazement. The problem is that the Red Bulls are from another planet, unreachable with Mark Webber claiming the second pole of the season, and Sebastian Vettel, only slightly slower (0.106s behind). Fernando Alonso can only minimize the damage, pushes to the maximum, but finishes in fourth place, almost a second behind and even behind Lewis Hamilton. With the Ferrari in their hands, it's a half-miracle, just listen to the complaints of Felipe Massa, who finishes ninth, starting in the fifth row, and already announces that in the race they will have to suffer because the car is sliding everywhere:
"I still haven't found the right setup, an acceptable balance, understeer in corners, oversteer on straights, the car always sideways, it seemed like a rally, not a qualifying lap. The Red Bulls are superior, but the race is long, many things can happen".
And he adds:
"The Red Bulls seem to be in another category; maybe we can recover a position from Hamilton. I think the Red Bulls are too superior here, both in qualifying and in the race. However, we need to finish the race".
On the side of the Maranello team, there could be the reliability factor.
"The Red Bulls have taken all the poles but are behind in the standings, so points are earned in the race. We hope to have a good start; this year they've always been a bit ugly".
Felipe Massa is desperate. More upset than angry:
"Why were we much faster in the February tests, I don't understand what happened, maybe, to focus on the new blown rear wing, we neglected everything else, and this is the result. If I had made a mistake, I would be the first to admit it, and it would have been better, but instead, I am much more worried because I haven't done anything wrong, and I find myself too far from the Red Bull. There's something wrong with my car, and I don't know what. In this way, fixing it becomes impossible".
Massa's morale is low. Alonso's isn't. He managed to set a good time and doesn't accept defeat. Regarding his qualifying lap, the Spaniard is modest:
"I am paid to go this fast; I feel it as an obligation, in qualifying and also in the race. It's my duty to get the most out of my car, and this time, I believe I succeeded".
He did it, but it wasn't enough.
"We knew that in Barcelona, the Red Bulls are favored; you need a great aerodynamic load, and they are superior in this. But they're not leading the Championship; they've made mistakes, and something could happen in this race too, 66 laps are a lot, and it's not easy to go through all of them perfectly".
So, there seems to be a reasonable hope.
"There's no comparison in a single lap, but our pace in the race is very good. Starting third was the goal; it doesn't change much from fourth, it's still the second row. We have the chance to finish on the podium, and we must achieve it at all costs".
He doesn't want to blame the new blown rear wing, but he also admits that here, the right setup for the Ferrari seems like a chimera.
"In the last attempt, maybe we found the right compromise. I cling to this feeling and hope that everything can change in the race".
At the end of the practice, he was fined $20.000, a hefty fine for a dangerous exit from the pits. He almost collided with Nico Rosberg, who wanted his penalty, but the stewards opted for a simple sanction. Alonso says:
"I didn't see him, but we didn't even touch. I should have been acquitted".
Setbacks that don't touch the Red Bulls at all. At the end of qualifying, Mark Webber is smiling more than Sebastian Vettel:
"This time, I'm in the running for the World Championship victory. I can't make mistakes anymore; I need a win to get back in the race. It's always a nice fight between me and Sebastian; this time, I managed to do two good laps even in Q3. A pole that I dedicate to the team, all the guys slept little during the night and worked incredibly. Their effort shows in the times. It won't always be like this; let's focus on tomorrow's race".
Sebastian Vettel says:
"Tomorrow, I would like to overturn the statistic that sees the winner starting from pole position here. First of all, I want to congratulate Mark, who was unbeatable today: I did good laps, but they weren't enough, a tenth was missing, but it was too much for me. But the race is tomorrow; today, no points were at stake. The race will be long, and even if everything seems easy, we know that things can change; it could even rain during the race. Starting second is still a good result; as Mark also said, the team did an incredible job putting all the new pieces together, and they worked hard at the factory to allow us to use them".
While Lewis Hamilton is surprised by the Red Bull dominance:
"I don't think anyone expected them to be so fast; the gap is considerable. I will keep pushing, focus on where we went wrong. We are close, and on the straight, we are faster; it could be an advantage in the race".
Michael Schumacher, on the other hand, is satisfied, starting in sixth position on the grid:
"The car is better for me now, and I can work as I like, I can make the setup more right, but still, the gap between us and Red Bull is large, so I'm not happy. We have to work hard, but we have good ideas for the rest of the season. Only in China did I not do well; I don't understand what happened, but now we are back to a more normal situation".
Ferrari fans are right to be anxious. Red Bull has had wings for a long time, and the hunter Alonso must start to clip them. Before it's too late. On Sunday, May 9, 2010, at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix, the front-row starting Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel start well off the line. Even though they are challenged by Lewis Hamilton and local hero Fernando Alonso on the long drag race to the first corner, they maintain their positions with polesitter Webber leading. Reigning World Champion Jenson Button and seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher keep fifth and sixth, but there is light contact between Robert Kubica and Kamui Kobayashi, sending both falling down the order. Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes is forced to take evasive action and runs onto the grass. Kobayashi's BMW Sauber teammate Pedro de la Rosa has a similar altercation with Sébastien Buemi, resulting in a puncture for the Spaniard, while Buemi is demoted to last on the road. The incident later morphs into a greater problem for de la Rosa, forcing him to retire with accident damage. The other first-lap incident sees an early exit for Bruno Senna, his Hispania spearing into the barriers at the same corner as the Buemi-de la Rosa incident. Lotus's Heikki Kovalainen is the only driver who fails to start the race when his gearbox software attempts to select two gears at the same time.
The Red Bulls, especially Webber, slowly start pulling away from Hamilton, but the rate at which he pulls away is not as quick as one would have expected. The gap to Hamilton increases by two or three tenths of a second per lap, not by a full second as suggested in practice and qualifying. The first and only round of pit stops comes shortly after lap fifteen, and a mistake by Red Bull costs Vettel four seconds and a place to Hamilton. McLaren also does not have a perfect pit stop with Button; the result is that he comes out behind Schumacher at the end of turn 1. Button is later critical of the German's swipe across the circuit to claim the position. He spends the rest of the race looking at the Mercedes' rear wing. The sole surviving Hispania of Karun Chandhok is caught up in two separate incidents in the final sector of the circuit. The first sees contact between his car and Felipe Massa's Ferrari as the latter attempts to lap him as they negotiate the corner before the final chicane. Massa, who has been lacking speed all weekend, experiences a better-handling car with a damaged front wing. A pit stop would have meant dropping down at least two or three places for Massa, and since the handling of the car is not hampered much due to the damage, the team decides not to bring Massa in for a front wing change. The second of Chandhok's incidents sees Jaime Alguersuari chop across his front end at the same corner, knocking his front wing off. Chandhok is forced to pit but retires a lap later with suspension damage caused by the collision; Alguersuari is given a drive-through penalty for his efforts. His teammate Buemi has been penalized earlier after rejoining the track in an unsafe manner, just ahead of Jarno Trulli. Williams gambles on a two-stop strategy for Nico Hülkenberg, a mistake that shunts the German driver down the order, where he is caught up in a duel with a struggling Rosberg. Sébastien Buemi is the only other retirement, stopping on lap forty-four with hydraulics problems. The race order settles down with Webber leading from Hamilton and Vettel. Alonso is fourth, ahead of the Schumacher-Button scrap, which Massa also joins, with Sutil, Kubica, and the recovering Rubens Barrichello in the Williams completing the top ten.
On lap fifty-four, Vettel goes wide at turn six, with a suspected front brake failure and has a trip across the gravel. This damages his tires, and he comes in for inspection and also for a new set of tires, which drops him behind Alonso. It is soon evident that he is struggling with brake issues, and thus Vettel has to slow down for the rest of the race to nurse his brakes and finish the race. On lap sixty-five - the penultimate lap of the race - Hamilton loses second place when he suffers a left-front tire puncture followed shortly by a blowout at turn three, which punts him into the wall, although far less violently than when a similar accident claimed then McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen at the 2008 race. He is classified as finishing fourteenth as he has completed 90% of the winner's race distance, his accident gifting second place to Alonso and allowing the fading Vettel back onto the podium for third. Vitantonio Liuzzi suffers a similar fate to Hamilton when his engine gives up on the same lap, the Italian stopping on the circuit. Mark Webber crosses the finish line first, becoming the tenth driver in ten Spanish Grands Prix to win from pole. Alonso finishes second, with Vettel third, and the unresolved Schumacher-Button scrap seeing the former World Champion home before the defending champion. Massa finishes sixth, followed by Sutil, Kubica, and Barrichello and Alguersuari, who are a lap down. Jarno Trulli's Lotus is the first of the new teams to finish the race, while Virgin Racing notches up their first double-finish of the season, despite Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi driving different versions of the VR-01. The final result means that Button keeps his championship lead going into the next round by just three points, while the same amount separates McLaren from Ferrari in the constructors' standings, with Red Bull only a further three points behind. If you want, you can call them emotions. In the most boring race that Formula 1 history can recall, Mark Webber triumphs with the unattainable Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton overtaking Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher passing Jenson Button more by chance than by design. A couple of final twists allow Fernando Alonso not only to minimize the damage but even to ignite the many fans present, securing a second place that sets the Barcelona stands on fire.
"A bit of luck".
He acknowledges with honesty, let's even say it's a complete gift because Ferrari could never have beaten a Red Bull, especially Sebastian Vettel's, in that circumstance, nor Lewis Hamilton's McLaren. Alonso's merit is to drive a flawless race, with maximum consistency and the strength to extract everything his car can offer. However, he was in fourth place, as at the start, and would have finished fourth if Vettel had not suddenly discovered brake problems on lap 54 (out of 66 total).
"I heard a bang, and from that moment, I said bye-bye to my brakes".
This trouble first forced him onto the grass at turn 7, then obliged him to return to the pits to check if the car was undamaged, and finally condemned him to a tourist-like pace in the last laps, more concerned with holding off Michael Schumacher's comeback (who finished fourth for the first time near the podium) than chasing Fernando Alonso. And, after the first stroke of luck, he was in third place, and that's where the Spaniard would have finished if Lewis Hamilton hadn't lost his left front tire on lap 65, the penultimate one. It was due to a nut (changed just before the start) that went flying, causing his McLaren to suddenly go haywire and scrape against the wall. Goodbye points for the Englishman (booed again by the Spaniards), and great joy for Fernando Alonso, who, amid the roar of the crowd, found himself in second place. At the end of the race, he stated:
"It's an extraordinary result that rewards our team's fighting spirit. We've made a good step forward in the World Championship standings, but now we must improve and catch up with the Red Bulls as soon as possible. I'm sure we'll see significant progress soon. It has to happen, or else we can't fight for the title".
The Barcelona track exposed Ferrari's aerodynamic deficiencies, and the story could repeat itself in Monaco. Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari's team principal, swears that the team already knows how to get out of this situation. Meanwhile, as the first decision, Ferrari won't have the new blown rear wing along the narrow streets of Monaco on Sunday. Dangerous or not, it provides speed on the straight, but it causes a loss in the twisty sections.
"And in Monaco, we can't afford that".
A Ferrari with a lot of grip is needed, something that was lacking in Spain, where the podium was mainly due to Fernando Alonso's skill. In the midst of the excitement, he promises the Spaniards:
"Second here, first at the end of June in Valencia".
Then he smiles:
"Two positions gained unexpectedly, better than two overtakes. It's less effort".
Sebastian Vettel doesn't share the same good mood. While Mark Webber, leading from the first to the last corner, climbs in the standings and says:
"I'm really happy for this success. I was in a good position after qualifying, but I knew the straight was very long, and it was crucial to get through the first corner unscathed. I wanted to make the most of the soft tires and finished the first part of the race well. Then I had a good pit stop. Hamilton was chasing me, but I always controlled the gap. I took care of the car and brought it to the finish. The whole team worked very well, made a huge effort to allow me to finish ahead of everyone".
The German driver complains:
"Many things went wrong from the start where I couldn't pass Webber. Even if it was useless to risk, and I didn't have enough speed. Mark was really fast today, but I had several difficulties".
Sebastian Vettel is not satisfied with the third place obtained in the Spanish Grand Prix.
"I returned to the pits too early for the pit stop and lost too much time and position. The car was going quite well, but every time I approached Hamilton, I had no grip. In the last ten laps, I was lucky because I might not have finished. Third place is not bad, but overall, it was a horrible race. It's positive to have scored points, but the car is definitely fast".
To think that the two Red Bulls were supposed to stroll to victory, and instead, they wait for the competition, including Jenson Button, fifth at the finish and the leader of the World Championship, and Felipe Massa, sixth with much anger. On the day when Ferrari shouts for a miracle, with a hailstorm of points coming down from the sky for no apparent reason, the dark shadow of a new gigantic problem looms on the horizon. Unfortunately, it's not a technical, aerodynamic, or engineering issue. It's an existential case: Felipe Massa's loss of direction.
"I have to find myself again".
Says the Brazilian in a low voice during a press conference, holding a very fashionable water bottle full of guaraná promotional between his hands. The contrast between the darkness of his gaze and the cheerful graphics of the water bottle is striking.
"Today, on the track, I wasn't myself".
And he's right. On the Spanish track, there was a nervous, insecure, and melancholic driver. A driver who is lost and blames it on other things—the car that doesn't have enough aerodynamic load, the accident with a backmarker where the front wing broke, the recent modifications he doesn't like because they reduce grip in corners, and many other things. But deep down, he knows very well that his real problem is named Fernando Alonso: the leader of Ferrari, the man on whom Stefano Domenicali has relied to lift the team after the disastrous 2009. It's the ancient story of the talented one succumbing to genius, ultimately. At the beginning, Felipe had handled the situation well, emphasizing collaboration and dialogue in their relationship. Still, the impression is that everything has slowly deteriorated, and what happened in China (when Alonso brutally passed him at the pit lane entrance) has definitively changed things. Irritating the Brazilian, who rudely compared his Ferrari to a rally car, not before reiterating that he wouldn't have even attempted such a dangerous overtaking move as his teammate did in China. To aggravate the situation, there's also the contract issue: it will be renewed soon, but for now, Ferrari is hesitant (and Kubica is doing very well).
"I trust and want to stay".
Massa says, aware that his manager, for tactical reasons, is starting to talk to other teams as well (Red Bull is in the lead). But the problem is to stay to do what, and with what prospects:
"If Felipe doesn't urgently find himself again, he risks ending up like Barrichello".
He risks following in the footsteps of his friend Rubens, crushed in the prime of his career by Schumacher's personality and reduced to a professional second driver. Looking at how it went then, it's clear that it could work out well for Ferrari. But for Felipe? Anyway, the great chase for Red Bull is officially open. Ferrari, miraculously saved by fate in the Spanish Grand Prix, finds itself in an excellent position, with only three points behind the leading team in the Constructors' World Championship, McLaren, and seven points ahead of the true dominators of the season, namely, Red Bull. But, above all, it finds itself with a car that, according to Fernando Alonso, seems to have much more to offer. The key will be the development work on the F60, whose main limitation is a chronic lack of aerodynamic load. To recover, in view of the Monaco Grand Prix (where it will be needed a lot), in Maranello, they have decided to give up the blown wing (the device copied from McLaren that guarantees about 10 km/h more speed). Data show that this wing's downside is precisely that it loses load in the slow parts of the tracks. It will be dismantled and proposed again later, unless it is decided to abandon it altogether since it was decided at the Sunday morning team meeting to ban it for the next year. This duct, introduced by McLaren, allows drivers to stall air towards the rear wing of their car, thereby allowing greater straight-line speed. When the airflow is not obstructed by the driver, it travels towards the rear wing of this section, as seen on the Sauber. As decided by the Formula 1 Teams' Association (FOTA) in the paddock of the Circuit de Catalunya, it was decided to outlaw the F-duct introduced by McLaren, after it was also introduced by Sauber, Williams, and Ferrari, although the final decision will probably be put to a vote. By using a vent located on the top of the car's chassis, drivers can cover a hole (with their knee, in the case of McLaren, or with the back of their hand, in the case of Ferrari) to decrease the amount of air traveling towards the rear wing, which means less aerodynamic load and therefore higher top speed on the straight. Ferrari has decided to copy it. Only they had to practice the hole in another position - near the steering wheel - condemning the drivers to use the left wrist instead of the knee. Hence the accusation of endangering the safety of the circus: to use the blown wing, Alonso and Massa are forced to drive with one hand (and with the same hand, they must simultaneously adjust the brake balance). And since the wing is mainly used in duels - in the most dangerous moments of the entire show - they end up jeopardizing their safety and that of their opponents. Ferrari's response, entrusted to Technical Director Aldo Costa, convinces only to a certain extent:
"Drivers are used to simultaneously using multiple systems while driving, adjusting the front wing or brake balance, and just like last year, they pressed the kers button, this year they can activate the blown wing".
However, its switch, unlike the kers one, is not on the steering wheel but near the wheel and, above all, it is not only pressed but engages the driver for the entire duration of the maneuver. Since there is no moving mechanical part, the device is legal according to the current FIA regulations but will disappear once the current season concludes.