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Nico Rosberg and Mercedes together until 2017: it's official now. On Wednesday, July 16, 2014, the multi-year agreement with the German driver, the current leader of the Formula 1 World Championship, was announced. The renewal would be valid until 2017, and over these three years, Nico Rosberg would earn 55.000.000 euros.
"I am truly proud to drive a Silver Arrow of the modern era. As a German, the Mercedes-Benz brand is very special to me, and I am proud to represent the best brand in the world. It hasn't been easy, but now we have a great team, and there is the right person in every role. I am already looking forward to the coming years, where we will push to the maximum to win many races and, hopefully, World Championships too".
For Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, Nico has demonstrated to everyone in 2014 what the team already knew:
"He is one of the best drivers in Formula 1. This new contract brings us stability and continuity, and I am happy to make this announcement on the eve of the Hockenheim race".
The FRIC suspension system, used by several F1 teams, could be banned as early as the next German Grand Prix. In a letter issued on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, the FIA informed the teams that, after careful study, it deemed the FRIC system illegal. The system involves linking the front and rear suspension of a single-seater to maintain a constant setup and improve performance. Charlie Whiting, the FIA's technical delegate, wrote in the letter delivered to the teams:
"Having now seen and studied almost every current design of the front and rear parts of the FRIC system, the FIA is formally of the view that the legitimacy of all these systems can be questioned".
According to Charlie Whiting, the FRIC suspension violates Article 3.15 of the regulations, which deals with movable aerodynamic devices. The article prohibits any part of the car that affects aerodynamics and is not rigidly fixed to the car. The system was introduced in Formula 1 by Lotus in 2008, but Mercedes is believed to have perfected it in recent years. It is unclear how much it affects the performance of the W05; we may have to wait for the ban to find out. The FIA declares its willingness to declare the system illegal starting in 2015, but a unanimous agreement from the teams is required. If one F1 team believes it has an inadequate FRIC system or thinks it is right to ban it immediately, the conditions for a postponement of the ban fall apart. Whiting clarifies that in the absence of an agreement, teams using FRIC will be reported to the stewards for not complying with the rules. At this point, having declared FRIC illegal, any F1 team can protest against a team using this system during a race weekend. The major teams - Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari, Williams, McLaren, and Lotus - agree and promise not to file a complaint against other teams using FRIC. The main problem may come from smaller teams that have not taken a position at the moment. We probably have to wait to see how this matter will unfold, but to address the issue, several teams have already tested setups without using FRIC in the Silverstone tests. Eric Boullier, the team principal of McLaren, says he is very surprised by the FIA's decision on FRIC.
"It's a total surprise. This decision wasn't made because of a team's action; it's an initiative of the FIA. Last weekend, they had warned us that something would happen, then we received this technical directive".
Red Bull is chronologically the latest top team to confirm its intention not to use FRIC at the German Grand Prix.
This is because, after the failure of negotiations to find unanimity on the postponement vote to the next season, the interconnected suspension system risks being considered illegal if used on the track until the end of the championship. Therefore, starting with Mercedes, the top teams in the Circus decide one after the other to return to a traditional system for the German race to avoid sanctions or disqualifications. And so, after McLaren, on Friday, July 11, 2014, the official withdrawal from Red Bull also arrives through a note informing rivals of their decision to field the FRIC-less RB10 at Hockenheim. The Milton Keynes team was one of those that had immediately come out in favor of a postponement of the ban to 2015, thus completing a united front formed by Mercedes, Williams, Lotus, and Marussia. Unfortunately, this unity of intent was not followed by other teams, especially Caterham and Force India, which, according to rumors reported by the media, will not use the interconnected suspension system either but have not officially communicated it yet. In any case, during the technical checks that will take place tomorrow in Germany, the stewards may express themselves in favor or against the legality of FRIC, but at the same time, it is highly unlikely that any team will risk going on the track with a car equipped with it. We will see how this matter develops. Meanwhile, on the eve of the German Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso sends a clear message regarding rumors of alleged contacts with other teams: the future can wait, better to focus on the present.
"In my mind, there is only Ferrari, at least for the moment".
Also, because at Hockenheim, where the German Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, July 20, 2014, another complicated weekend is expected for the Maranello team.
"Every year, I believe since 2003, in July you ask me this question. I haven't talked to any other team, and it's not a priority for me. We have to score a good number of points this weekend and get some good results for the rest of the season".
Regarding the German Grand Prix, Alonso believes that the weather conditions could play a significant role.
"Realistically, this will be another complicated weekend, with high temperatures and Soft and Supersoft tires. This will mean, consequently, that tire management will be crucial. In previous races, when it was hot, we haven't been very competitive. Here, we have some updates that I hope will give us a bit more performance".
The Ferrari driver hopes to be able to compete with rivals on the German track, where he boasts a series of positive results in his career.
"Our goal is to beat some of our main rivals in the battle from second to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. The fight is very tight and will be so until the last race of the season. We have to try to reduce the gap to Red Bull and increase it, if we can, against Williams and McLaren, which have become very strong. It will be an interesting fight. I have won three times at Hockenheim and twice at the Nurburgring (when it was the venue for the European Grand Prix), so every time we come to Germany, it seems like we can have a good weekend. Hopefully, we can continue the trend this weekend".
Alonso also talks again about the duel at Silverstone with Vettel.
"That move at turn 9 was a bit risky. Let's say something unique and that I hope not to repeat because the risk of not finishing the race is too high. If you're fighting for the championship, maybe you lift your foot and think about scoring points every weekend. So, hopefully, we won't see something like that again because it would mean that I'm fighting for the championship".
Meanwhile, in Maranello, they look with satisfaction at Jean Todt's opening. The table on the future of Formula 1, so dear to Ferrari, will be made: therefore, Luca Montezemolo receives the yes from the FIA president on the proposal made by the Ferrari president.
"No one cares about the future of Formula 1 like Ferrari because it is a fundamental part of our life. We are pleased that the Federation President has accepted our initiative, and the FOM must do the same shortly to work constructively for the good of this extraordinary sport".
The much-anticipated table will be there. Todt announces that he will convene sponsors, press, new media, organizers, yesterday's and today's drivers, and constructors to discuss the future of the circus.
"I am confident that I can resolve the issues with Ferrari, and I hope to do so quickly, but it depends on many factors. As for my future, I have a contract (until the end of 2015, editor's note), and I am not worried".
Kimi Raikkonen is preparing to return to the track after the incident at Silverstone and sends signals of confidence to the Maranello team. The Finn took precautionary rest during last week's in-season tests, but he will be back behind the wheel tomorrow for the first free practice of the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
"I still have some pain, but it's getting better now. I haven't had many accidents this severe in my career, but it's part of our job. You can get hurt much more going slower. However, it's nothing serious. Certainly, so far, it's been a difficult year; we hope to reach a turning point. We have to do it; it can't continue like this for long, it's not fun. However, I have been in similar situations in the past, and I have always managed to reach a turning point. I firmly believe I will do it this time too; we just need to solve some problems, set things right, and I am sure we will return to our levels".
But on Friday, July 18, 2014, Nico Rosberg is the prophet in his homeland. The Mercedes driver, the current leader of the F1 World Championship, tops the first free practice of the German Grand Prix ahead of his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg sets a time of 1'19"131, beating the British driver by 0.065 seconds and the Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso by 0.292 seconds. The fourth time is set by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, followed by McLaren's Jenson Button and the reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel in the other Red Bull. Kevin Magnussen is seventh, followed by Kimi Raikkonen, 1.079 seconds behind Nico Rosberg. Another chance for Susie Wolff, the test driver for the Williams team, after being stopped by an engine failure in the free practice session at the British Grand Prix. The Scottish driver finishes the session in fifteenth place after a problem in the first lap when her car couldn't change gears. Wolff drives well, without mistakes, and completes the practice with a time of 1'20"769. Her appearance at Silverstone made her the first woman to participate in a Formula 1 race weekend in 22 years. The test driver aims to become the first woman to race in an official event since Lella Lombardi in 1976, excluding Giovanna Amati's participation in practice. After dominating the first free practice session of the German Grand Prix, Mercedes also dominates the afternoon session. But this time, Lewis Hamilton takes the satisfaction of the fastest time, clocking 1'18"341, ahead of his teammate Nico Rosberg and Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo. The fourth time is set by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, while Fernando Alonso manages only the ninth-best performance. Eighth time for Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull, behind Jenson Button's McLaren and Felipe Massa's Williams. At the end of the session, the media speak with James Allison. Tall, somewhat awkward, shy, very friendly, he has had a truly singular experience in recent months: he has been given the technical management of the entire Ferrari. Whatever happens in the future of the Maranello team, he will decide. It is the first real measure taken by Marco Mattiacci, the new team principal of Ferrari. After a couple of months of study, the new head of the team explains:
"My right-hand man will be Allison, he is the technical director, and everything will go through him".
Actually, Allison was already there, the last big investment made by Domenicali (after Alonso and Raikkonen). But Mattiacci has further empowered him. And this should testify to the real quality of the man: the spoil system in F1 is a rule applied with fierceness. English journalists speak of him as an absolute superstar: a man of culture, vaguely Shakespearean eloquence, brilliant engineer, natural leader. They say you read a lot, Mr. Allison.
"No, not much - actually - only two books a week. I wish it were more. As a kid, we didn't have a TV at home, and reading was crucial for me and my sister".
Congratulations on your Italian. Ross Brawn, after ten years in Maranello, couldn't even say good morning.
"I learned it during my first experience in Italy, at Ferrari, in 2000. I know 300 words and repeat them in a loop. But in the end, the meaning of what I say is understood, I hope".
The last book you read?
"Flash Boys, a novel about high finance. Very interesting".
Why didn't you have a TV?
"My father didn't like it".
What did your father do?
"Aviator. Sir John Allison was an RAF commander. I was born in Louth, near Oxford, but I can't say I'm from there. I spent my childhood traveling around England".
And looking at beautiful cars.
"Dad restored them as a hobby. Vintage cars and airplanes. Maybe that's how it started".
And how did it continue?
"I graduated in engineering at Cambridge and started with F1".
Benetton, Ferrari, Lotus, and now Ferrari again. But this time with an almost impossible mission. Bring it back to the glory of the good old days. How do you do it?
"Eh. Good question. You have to take care of the organization, which is not a simple thing. The top F1 teams are almost perfect machines from that point of view. And every time you change, it's easier to do damage than things done well. I think the secret is to change many small things, maybe all in the same direction, and then measure the change".
What is your role within the team?
"Make sure that the two areas, chassis and engine, work in synergy. And that everyone pushes as much as they need to, that they are aggressive on projects and ideas".
Alonso was at Maranello last week to work on the simulator. Did you show him something about next year's car? Do you think you convinced him?
"Both drivers have been to Maranello, and we gave both the opportunity to see the projects and give us their opinions. It is very important for us that they are involved in the decision-making processes. And I can assure you that they are".
On Saturday, July 19, 2014, in the third and final free practice session, the top two positions are overturned again, with Nico Rosberg regaining the lead. In the third position, as in the first session, Fernando Alonso follows, 0.6 seconds behind the leader. The heat of the asphalt, however, quickly puts the Supersoft tires in crisis. A few hours later, during Q1, Lewis Hamilton goes off the track at Sachs, crashing at high speed into the barriers. The driver is unharmed, but the car is damaged, so the British driver, although qualified for Q2, does not participate in the rest of the session. The cause of the off-track incident is the failure of a brake disc. Following the incident, the red flag is displayed, interrupting the qualifications. His teammate, Nico Rosberg, on the other hand, sets the fastest time. Not qualifying for Q2, in addition to Marcus Ericsson, who does not run as his car was not repaired in time for qualifying, Kamui Kobayashi, Adrian Sutil, Pastor Maldonado, and the two Marussias also fail to qualify. Nico Rosberg sets the fastest time again in the second phase. Jenson Button, Kimi Räikkönen, Jean-Éric Vergne, Esteban Gutiérrez, and Romain Grosjean are eliminated here. In Q3, Nico Rosberg has no rivals and thus secures the ninth pole position of his career, the twenty-sixth for Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas completes the front row. The Finn precedes Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen. At the end of the sessions, Lewis Hamilton is forced to replace the gearbox, which drops him five positions on the grid. Marcus Ericsson, although not setting valid times during qualifying, is allowed to start at the decision of the stewards; Ericsson is also required to start from the pit lane for the violation of the closed park regime by his team; he also has to serve a ten-second stop & go penalty in the first three laps of the race. And Ferrari? Alonso will start from the seventh position, while Kimi Raikkonen will start from the twelfth position. So, the two half Mercedes (alias Williams) have officially secured the role of the second force in the World Championship, making the dominance of the Silver Arrows even more embarrassing. An unacceptable position for the Maranello team, which now finds itself as the fifth force in the field. To understand the situation, it's enough to say that for Ferrari to fare worse, they would have to be overtaken by Force India or Toro Rosso.
"Unfortunately, I think this is our level. We had some ups and downs over the weekend, but then we ended up in seventh place. A bitter position, but now Mercedes and Williams are out of reach. In any case, tomorrow we can compete with the other teams".
Fernando Alonso's tone is that of someone who would like to be optimistic but, after so many disappointments, just can't manage it. He gets out of the car placed in seventh position on the starting grid of the German Grand Prix - a result that in less lean times would have angered the fans, but today seems almost like a victory.
He survives the scorching heat of the German asphalt (57 °C), enters the press room, and, sweaty, faces the notepads. The question is inevitable. James Allison, the new technical director of Ferrari, said on Friday that he showed Alonso and Raikkonen the plans for the 2015 car. And he got their blessing. Alonso's version is a bit less enthusiastic.
"I've been in Formula 1 for fourteen years. And I've seen many presentations like this. In July, all the projects are wonderful. In November too. In January, they are super. The problem, however, is that then you arrive in February, on the track, and at that point, you discover that there are only two or three teams at most capable of winning".
As if to say, we're doing well in words, but we were also doing well in the past. Let's wait and see the facts. However, the Spaniard has been careful not to appear destructive. Partly because a Ferrari winning again in 2015 would solve many problems for him, and partly because, after initial skepticism following Stefano Domenicali's departure, he seems to be convinced by the new setup the team is taking.
"I have to admit that I still have a positive feeling. Also because I believe that the difference between the 2015 cars and those on the track this year will be greater than what we were used to seeing in the past".
This feeling is shared with Kimi Raikkonen. Also, for the Finn - confirming that Marco Mattiacci's plan involves continuing with the current two drivers - plans for the future have been shown.
"More than in the presentation, I believe in the people I have been working with for years. I trust them, and I am sure they will do a great job".
For 2015, numerous regulatory changes are expected as well as a new homologation for the engines, allowing manufacturers to revise some things in their projects. And there are many things to be deeply revised in Maranello. The F14T is a disaster, and it confirms it every time it hits the track. In the Hockenheim qualifiers, more affected than others by the intense heat, it remained behind not only the Mercedes, in pole with Rosberg, but also the Williams and the Red Bulls. It struggled to keep up with McLaren. And only with Alonso, given that Raikkonen - never seen so down since his return to Formula 1 after the experience in Rally - failed to get past Q2. Fernando Alonso says:
"This is the level of this car. We can't do more; it will be like this until the end of the World Championship".
A sort of surrender - unprecedented for someone like Alonso - confirmed by a kind of suggestion:
"It would be good to use the rest of the season as a laboratory to experiment with solutions for next year".
On Sunday, July 20, 2014, at the start of the German Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg maintains his grid position to lead into the first corner. Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen get good starts from 3rd and 4th on the grid respectively. Massa's start is better than his second-placed teammate Valtteri Bottas's, but instead of attempting to overtake his teammate, Massa decides to back off slightly into the first corner to avoid risking contact. However, this leaves the fast-starting Magnussen with nowhere to go on the inside of turn one, and the two collide, flipping over Massa's car and damaging Magnussen's front-right tire. Massa retires from the race, but Magnussen is able to continue - although he drops down to the back of the field. Daniel Ricciardo has to take evasive action to avoid the crash and drops down to 14th.
As a result of the crash, the safety car is deployed on the first lap. The safety car pulls into the pits at the end of lap two, and racing resumes. By lap 4, Hamilton has moved up from 20th on the grid to 13th place, while Ricciardo has moved up to 12th, with both drivers attempting to recover from their previous misfortunes. On lap 9, Daniil Kvyat attempts to overtake Sergio Pérez around the outside at turn 8, but doesn't give the Mexican enough space, and contact is made. Pérez's car is undamaged, but Kvyat spins off and loses time, though he is still able to continue. On lap 13, Hamilton simultaneously overtakes both Kimi Räikkönen and Ricciardo on the inside at the hairpin - though he locks a wheel under braking and makes slight contact with Räikkönen - to move up to seventh. On lap 30, Hamilton makes contact with Jenson Button at the hairpin. As Button takes a wide entry into the corner, Hamilton assumes Button is letting him through (just as he had done at the previous race in Silverstone) and attempts to pass on the inside. However, Button is actually taking the wide entry to ensure a better exit, and Hamilton's front wing makes contact with Button's sidepod as Button takes the corner. Hamilton loses some of his front wing endplate, but Button's car is undamaged. On the following lap, Hamilton makes a clean pass on the straight before the hairpin, putting his hand up to apologize to Button as he drives past. As a result of the increased tire wear induced from losing part of his front wing, Hamilton has to switch from a two-stop strategy to a three-stop. On lap 44, Kvyat's car sets on fire as a result of an oil leak, and he pulls off the track and jumps out of his car to retire from the race. On lap 50, Adrian Sutil spins at the final corner, and his engine stalls - with both Hamilton and Alonso having to swerve off the track to avoid the Sauber - leaving his car parked in the middle of the track around a blind corner, albeit off the racing line. Mercedes assumes the safety car would be deployed and pits Hamilton earlier than planned (on lap 8 of a 13 lap stint on the super-soft tires) in order to give him a chance to overtake the cars ahead at the restart and potentially win the race. However, the safety car is not deployed, as marshals are sent out onto the track under yellow flags to retrieve Sutil's car. After managing to get Sutil's car into neutral, the marshals successfully push it off of the track.
The lack of a safety car being deployed means that Hamilton would have to do a final stint of 16 laps on the super-soft tires, instead of the initially intended 13 laps. Despite having lost some downforce as a result of the damage to his front wing, Hamilton begins to catch third-placed Fernando Alonso at a rate of over three seconds per lap (setting the fastest lap of the race in the process) before passing him on lap 56. He then begins to catch second-placed Bottas at a rate of around two seconds per lap. By lap 61, Hamilton has closed the gap to under a second, but his tires have begun to wear out due to making his final stop earlier than planned. Hamilton's front-left tire is particularly grained, a result of the increased wear incurred from losing part of his front wing. Bottas's tires are in better shape, giving him more traction out of the corners, and combined with the Williams's superior straight-line speed, this allows him to defend on the DRS straights, defending into the hairpin by braking as late as possible. Rosberg, who leads the race from start to finish, crosses the line to win his fourth race of the season and becomes the first German driver to win the German Grand Prix in a German car in 75 years. Bottas, who has held off Hamilton for the final 7 laps, crosses the line 20.7 seconds behind Rosberg to take second - his third consecutive podium - with Hamilton finishing a further 1.7 seconds behind to take third. Sebastian Vettel finishes fourth, 21.5 seconds behind Hamilton and 44 seconds behind Rosberg. Alonso and Ricciardo finish a very close 5th and 6th - Alonso finishing a mere 0.082 seconds ahead of Ricciardo - after the pair have been engaged in a close battle for position over the final 8 laps. Magnussen manages to score points after dropping down to the back of the field following his incident with Massa, ultimately finishing in 9th position. To describe the true proportions of Mercedes' triumph, one must necessarily start from the grand preamble of Saturday night, from the very glamorous party that the Stuttgart communication team had named the Night of the Stars, a sort of megalomaniacal celebration of the triumphant Teutonic efficiency proclaimed by the victory in the Football World Championship and the absolute dominance in the F1 championship. Finger food, champagne, hostesses in black suits, and many stars. In the location set up at the foot of the most chic grandstand of the racetrack, the stars were everywhere, both the three-pointed ones of the Stuttgart house and the five-pointed ones of Lahm and Goetze's jerseys.
The final effect was that of a gigantic astral nausea, which, after half an hour, broke through the wall of obsession and forced anyone who wasn't German to desperately cheer for others, whoever they might be: if not Ferrari, then Red Bull, or at least Hamilton. The German self-celebration had actually started much earlier, already on Wednesday, when on the black motorhome, which dominates the entire paddock in terms of size and colors, a huge inscription had appeared: Das Beste, with the usual profusion of stars. So, the Hockenheim Grand Prix - a town just over an hour's drive from Stuttgart - began like this. And so it ended. With Rosberg shouting to the sky and thanking fate for granting him the grace of such a powerful car, and with Hamilton drawing applause from the entire motorsport world for a moving comeback, from twentieth to third, after 67 laps at maximum power, with incredible overtakes, clashes, and maneuvers at the limit. Considering all this, the race, the parties, the stars, a casual observer might think that Mercedes' success is primarily the result of the organizational culture and the great machine that German engineers have managed to put together. But they would be wrong. Because what was more evident than ever is that Mercedes' victory is first and foremost a political triumph. Just as is probably happening in other fields, the credit of the Germans is to have imposed their model on the tables that matter. While Ferrari, distracted by who knows what, let the sport slip through its fingers (allowing the FIA to support the reduction of tests and the increase in the role of simulators and wind tunnels, topics always opposed by Maranello), Mercedes took the entire movement exactly where it wanted, with road-sized hybrid engines, turbochargers. So, at Hockenheim, at the end of the 67 most beautiful and spectacular laps of the year - in the face of the boredom formula that Luca Montezemolo still clings to - not only did Nico Rosberg win, but the political approach imposed by Toto Wolff, Niki Lauda, and Dieter Zetsche triumphed, i.e., the triad that has been leading Mercedes for the past two years. The proof? The unusually reverential fear shown by the FIA judges in not deploying the Safety Car after Adrian Sutil's spin. It was the end of the race. The Sauber driver spun, and his car stopped in the middle of the track. In other times, or rather, in another situation, the Safety Car would have been automatic. But today, it would have jeopardized Rosberg's victory, so the car was pushed by the stewards with cars zooming by. Fernando Alonso sums it up:
"Usually, they bring out the safety car even if there's just a piece of front wing on the track. There, the entire car was there".
In football, it would be called psychological subjection. After all, with all those stars around, it was inevitable.
"It's fantastic, it's a very special day, thanks for all your support, you've been fantastic, and I'm super excited. Beautiful atmosphere and a fantastic race".
That's what Nico Rosberg says on the Hockenheim podium after winning the German Grand Prix, which consolidates the German Mercedes driver's lead in the World Championship standings.
"We'll celebrate a bit tonight; it will be fantastic to prolong the spirit of the just-won World Cup, and I can't wait to go to Hungary. I'm very grateful to Mercedes for the car they provided me, which is a pleasure to drive".
The defeated Lewis Hamilton comments on the third-place comeback:
"I got the maximum, and I had fun. It wasn't easy to climb up from the pit lane. I had a small collision with Button that slowed me down. I really thought he left the door open for the overtake. I misjudged it".
The English driver of Mercedes is now in second place in the World Championship standings, 14 points behind his teammate, Nico Rosberg.
"I'm very, very happy. It's the third consecutive time I've managed to get on the podium. Rosberg and Hamilton were really fast again today: I'm extremely happy to have kept one of them behind me. Thanks to the many fans present: here in Germany, I saw many Finnish flags all for me".
Valtteri Bottas is obviously happy, arriving in second place with his Williams, between the winner, Nico Rosberg, and the third-placed Lewis Hamilton.
"We did a great job with the team both for the car's setup and for the electronics: we kept everything constantly under control".
Fourth position for the reigning World Champion's Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel, followed like a shadow by Alonso, with whom he dueled throughout the race. The German driver admits:
"I was third after the first turn, so I thought everything was possible today, but at the beginning of the second stint, I saw that Lewis was ahead, so there wasn't much to do. Lewis can start even last and with a lap behind, but with their power on the straight, Mercedes can overtake everyone".
A great race for Fernando Alonso, with many duels and overtakes: the fifth final position, considering the values at this time, is to be considered a positive result.
"I think we did what we could. Surely, we want to fight for podium positions, but today those in front were very fast, including Vettel. The fight was with Ricciardo. Thinking about next season? No, we are focused on this one because we are fighting in the Constructors' World Championship, and today Williams got on the podium, so it didn't go well for us. We hope to score points soon with both Ferraris".
Another race to forget for Kimi Raikkonen, who finishes in eleventh place with his Ferrari and therefore out of the points zone:
"I got stuck twice and had nowhere to go. The first time, pieces were flying on the track, and the second time, I broke the front. The car was fine with the tires; I didn't have any problems. Did I complain via radio about the strategy? I don't think there's anything to talk about; with the loss of the front wing, we couldn't do much else. Having a whole car would have helped me".
The German Grand Prix, however, will also be remembered for the incredible incident involving Felipe Massa, who has become somewhat of a target for everyone. At the first turn, he was hit by Kevin Magnussen, resulting in a collision with a flip and the car sliding upside down on the asphalt. There was great fear, but fortunately, no consequences for the Brazilian driver. A few years ago, an incident like this would have almost certainly been fatal for the driver. One can criticize Formula 1 endlessly, but its progress in terms of safety is undeniable.
"It's not a sport for the young".
These are the words of Felipe Massa. The day after the terrifying incident caused by the contact between his Williams and Kevin Magnussen's McLaren, the Brazilian criticizes the new generation of young drivers:
"They drive as if they have to win the race at the first corner. If you notice, almost all the accidents this year have happened with them. I was young too, but I don't remember driving as if I followed a different set of rules than the others. Kimi, Fernando, Lewis: none of them has had as many accidents as they do. I'm not talking about talent; they have plenty of that, but about attitude".
After the excess comes the apologies. And after the apologies, politics. An SMS lights up Luca Montezemolo's phone early in the morning. Sender: Niki Lauda. Content:
"I'm sorry for the tone used in that interview".
Or something like that. In short, apologies. The president of Ferrari, naturally, promptly accepts them, admitting, moreover, that beyond the tone, the statement made by the honorary president of Mercedes to Pais on Sunday was not unfounded. Ferrari has indeed made a bad car this year. Maybe not exactly as bad as Lauda had said, but, well, something like that. Anyway, the diplomatic incident is closed. Truth be told, the incident was already closed on Sunday afternoon, since the new team principal of Ferrari, Marco Mattiacci, had refused to respond to Lauda, calling him an icon of F1. A very soft attitude, motivated by the desire to deal with topics considered more relevant. The issue is simple: after almost three months in Maranello, Mattiacci understood that the problem with Ferrari is not only technical but also, and perhaps above all, political. To return to winning, the Prancing Horse must regain its significance, impose its vision of Formula 1. And as long as the cards are given by the English, there will be no chances. For this reason, together with Montezemolo, he has inaugurated a new phase. Leveraging the objective difficulties that the sport is facing in terms of commercial, communication, and marketing, Ferrari has called for a meeting with the intention not just to change the rules on the fly (as clumsily announced in Bahrain at the beginning of the season) but to devise a common strategy to relaunch the F1 brand. A move that has quickly borne fruit, forcing both the FIA and Mercedes to come out in the open and declare their willingness to see what Maranello has in store. For this reason, Montezemolo responds with a accommodating smile to Lauda's apologies and moves forward. The president of Ferrari calls his old friend Niki and schedules a meeting for the discussion that will take place after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Now it is a matter of seeing on which content Ferrari will seek to reaffirm its role as the natural leader of the movement. Certainly, it will try to sensitize everyone regarding the theme of on-track spectacle and the charisma of the drivers, using some obvious elements, like the paradoxical team radio between Vettel and his team broadcast during the race, with the four-time World Champion on the verge of hysterics, asking his team what he should do:
"Decide once and for all, either I try to overtake Alonso or I start saving fuel".
Then it will return to promoting more concrete themes, such as those always dear to Maranello, of the third car to be given to private investors and, above all, the restoration of seasonal tests, the culture of the track against the culture of simulation. The return to victory passes through there.