Closing a truly disappointing season on a high note, already working with an eye on the future for a quick redemption in 2015. Kimi Raikkonen is convinced that Ferrari can soon return to the levels they belong to:
"I have 100% confidence in the people working in Maranello, and I know that we have the tools and the people to do what is expected of us. I am convinced that we can be back at the top already next year".
For now, the focus is on the Hungarian Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday, July 27, 2014.
"I hope to have good sensations and manage to bring the car where we expect it. Then, I hope to have a trouble-free weekend in the practice sessions and be able to work as we want. Although this track is twisty, and everyone says overtaking is difficult, we have seen in the past that things can change a lot in the race compared to qualifying, so let's see how it goes".
Since the beginning of the season, Raikkonen has struggled to find the right feel with the F14T:
"At times, I have good sensations, but unfortunately, they don't last long. However, last weekend, the understanding with the car had improved again; we made some changes, and I hope this allows us to get on the right track and position ourselves at a level that suits us."
He continues before commenting on the team principal:
"Marco (Mattiacci) didn't have much Formula 1 experience when he arrived, but he is a very intelligent person. I believe he is doing a good job, making the right decisions, but it takes time to get into the mechanisms and earn the trust of the people. I think he is the person we need".
Fernando Alonso also analyzes the weekend ahead for the Ferrari team in Hungary:
"Obviously, the car will be identical to the one in Hockenheim since there have been only four days between the two races, and the track shouldn't be very suitable for us because it requires a lot of traction. On the other hand, it must be said that there have been some surprises at every race this season. On some circuits where we expected to be competitive, we were less so, and on others, the opposite happened. So, we approach this weekend with a positive spirit and see what the final result is".
Alonso is surprised by the performance of Mercedes:
"It surprised everyone. Since we were in Jerez and then in Bahrain for the tests with these new cars with such complex technology, everyone was struggling, while they were already substantially okay. For us, Mercedes is also a source of motivation because it pushes us to do a much better job for the future".
Regarding the relationship with teammate Raikkonen, Alonso explains:
"Certainly, Kimi and I work a lot together, and all the meetings this year are quite long because we have many things to discuss after the races. We constantly give our feedback and suggestions based on what we see on the track to help the engineers. So, there hasn't been a big change compared to the work I did in the past with Felipe or other teammates".
On Friday, July 25, 2014, as always, Mercedes is ahead of everyone. Lewis Hamilton dominates the first day of free practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix, being the fastest in both the morning and afternoon sessions. The British driver improves his morning time of 1'25.814, ending the day with a good 1'24.482. Behind him is the German (1'25.997 in the morning session), 0.238 seconds behind. The two Mercedes drivers set the best time using Medium tires, while the others use Soft tires for their performances. Another battle between Red Bull and Ferrari, especially between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso for the third position. The World Champion, with a time of 1'25.111, is 0.629 seconds slower than Hamilton, while Ferrari's Spaniard is almost a second behind (0.955). Fifth time for the McLaren of Kevin Magnussen, 1.098 seconds behind, while Kimi Raikkonen with the other F14T is sixth, 1.248 seconds behind, but ahead of Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull, who is 1.5 seconds behind the day's leader, and Valtteri Bottas' Williams, who is slower than the Australian by only 0.016 seconds. Closing the top ten are the other McLaren of Jenson Button (1.752 seconds behind) and the second Williams of Felipe Massa (1.9 seconds behind). In the morning, the two Ferraris had placed third and fourth with Kimi Raikkonen ahead of Fernando Alonso. Fifth position for World Champion Sebastian Vettel, sixth for McLaren's Kevin Magnussen. Seventh place for Toro Rosso's Jean-Éric Vergne, eighth for Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
"Low traction, brake problems, low aerodynamic load, low reliability, electrical problems".
Alonso lists the things that haven't worked so far, and the pressure, already weak, from Ferrari approaches dangerously to zero. At the midseason point, the year is already closed, and the atmosphere in Maranello is almost desperate: only one podium (third place in China) in ten races, fourth place in the Constructors' World Championship behind Massa's Williams, one driver, Alonso, fourth in the standings with half the points of the leader, and the other, Raikkonen, lost in the misery of his 19 points but mostly shipwrecked in an apathy that appears more existential than technical. Numbers to which a definitive statistic is added: so far, it has been Ferrari's worst season in the last twenty-one years. To see something like this again, you have to go back to 1993 when the F93A finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship with a meager 28 points. And even this year, the possibility of ending with zero titles is very high. Just look at Alonso's face while he enjoys contradicting the words of Allison, the new technical reference chosen by team principal Marco Mattiacci.
"A lot of energy is still dedicated to improving the performance of the 2014 car on a single lap, but there is also a great commitment to the 2015 project".
Allison had declared on the eve of Budapest. While Alonso's version is different:
"Now all the efforts of the team are focused on the new car. It's a choice that leaves us in a difficult situation for 2014 because there won't be significant performances coming, but at this point, we can't ask for more from the team, and it's right to think especially about 2015".
Words that anticipate a season finale like a calvary. Worse even than last year when Ferrari exhibited itself in a inglorious tour in the most sensitive countries from a marketing point of view: the United States, India, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. A bad situation. To face which Mattiacci's American training will certainly come in handy. The one that identifies great opportunities where most see only big problems. It is said that in these days, the new team principal is particularly charged. After his short apprenticeship, he begins to feel comfortable in the new role and is ready to lift Ferrari from the low peak it has fallen into. Starting with Alonso, to whom he has offered a contract renewal in these hours. Also on Saturday, July 26, 2014, Lewis Hamilton sets the best time during the third and final free practice session: the Mercedes driver precedes Nico Rosberg by 0.047 seconds and Sebastian Vettel by about 0.4 seconds. Further back are the Ferraris, closing in sixth and seventh positions, also preceded by Valtteri Bottas' Williams. A few hours later, in the first phase of qualifying, Pastor Maldonado is forced to park his car early by the side of the track, while Lewis Hamilton returns to the pits with a car experiencing an incipient fire. In the session, Jean-Éric Vergne of Scuderia Toro Rosso is the fastest, using Soft compound tires.
Kimi Räikkönen makes a strategy mistake to save a set of tires and is eliminated, beaten in the final seconds by Jules Bianchi. Along with the Finn, Maldonado and Hamilton, the two Caterham drivers and Max Chilton (who is dealing with technical problems) are also eliminated. In Q2, Rosberg takes the lead, ahead of the two Red Bulls. Bianchi, Romain Grosjean, the two Saubers, Sergio Pérez, and Daniil Kvyat are eliminated. In Q3, rain begins to wet the track. However, the drivers face the first attempt with slick tires: track holding problems, with Kevin Magnussen hitting the barriers, force the race direction to display the red flags, interrupting qualifying. At the resumption of the session, the rain is still light, making it difficult for teams to choose the best strategy. At the end of the first attempt, Nico Rosberg sets the fastest time, followed by Sebastian Vettel. Some drivers return to change tires, while others continue on the track. In the second attempt, Vettel again takes the lead in the standings, then definitively beaten by Nico Rosberg. The German secures the third consecutive pole position, the tenth in total in his career in the World Championship. Double twist in the fundamental trials of the Hungarian Grand Prix (where, as in Monaco, overtaking is impossible): Hamilton is immediately out because his Mercedes caught fire, and Raikkonen is out due to a spectacular strategy error by the team. So, on one hand, Hamilton (who will start from the pit lane like Magnussen, having to replace the chassis) sees the hope of winning the world title fade away, while on the other, Ferrari fans get increasingly nervous, to use a subtle euphemism. In the end, the pole - needless to say - is conquered by Nico Rosberg with the surviving Mercedes, followed by Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, and Fernando Alonso. Lewis Hamilton takes it philosophically with a touch of mysticism:
"I can't believe it, again... These are signals sent from above... I was hoping for a good qualifying, but there was nothing to be done".
While at Ferrari, they really didn't expect Bianchi's record time. However, keeping Raikkonen in the box in Q1, knowing that no one would improve his time, was a true suicide.
"The team told me it was okay. I asked: Are you sure? And this is the final result... Tomorrow will be very, very difficult to race, but the car performed well throughout the weekend, let's see...".
This is the fourth time this year that Mercedes has a (serious) problem, but coincidentally, disasters always happen to Lewis Hamilton. The team principal of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, explains that it is clear to everyone that it is just a coincidence, but the doubt remains. In any case, the trials deliver a revived Red Bull, not so much for Vettel's second position but for the race pace the car demonstrated throughout the weekend. Will it be enough to stay behind the rocket that Rosberg has in hand? We'll see: certainly - difficult overtaking or not - the race will be lively, especially with Hamilton starting from the back. The challenge is open. Moreover, for the first time since the late '90s, Williams presents itself as a major player in a Grand Prix: third in the championship ahead of Ferrari and aiming for Red Bull, a very fast car showing clear progress, a driver, Valtteri Bottas, emerging as the real revelation of the season, and the other, Felipe Massa, despite too many problems, is still achieving some nice satisfactions against his former team. Enough to allow him to snub it:
"What feeling do I have looking at Ferrari from above? None. Really. I look at the standings, and the only thing that comes to mind is that perhaps, by committing ourselves and with a bit of luck, we can even surpass Vettel and Ricciardo".
An eventuality not at all improbable. Not so much in Budapest as in the subsequent races, those that will take place in Spa and Monza, where the Williams - a car with great top speed - could make the definitive leap in quality. But the magical moment of Williams goes well beyond the track. Because the 2014 season is proving to be a triumph also on the communication front. In particular, the sponsorship of Martini, with the return of the glorious stripes on the white livery, is working very well. The new motorhome is one of the most frequented in the paddock, and new sponsors, given the visibility the brand is getting, seem interested in joining for the next season.
According to some observers, a very positive effect in this regard has also been produced by the media exposure guaranteed to the team by the two tests carried out in recent weeks by Susie Wolff. She, probably, would not be happy to be considered a value from a communication standpoint, but Claire Williams, daughter of the old Frank and head of the team, is free to think differently.
"The crying wall".
And again:
"The Concordia arrives in Genoa before Ferrari in Budapest".
Italian journalists joke after another disastrous performance by Ferrari. In reality, there is little to joke about. Because what happened at the Hungaroring was the psychodrama of a team in disarray, a poor premise for an endless end to the season that, seen from here, promises to be full of worldwide humiliations. Saved is Fernando Alonso, whose talent for extracting the maximum from any means available is the last certainty to cling to, saved him, the others were unwatchable. Starting with the second driver of the team, if we want to define in flattering terms the Kimi Raikkonen look-alike who has been abusively holding the F14T steering wheel for months. He continues to disappoint, to drive badly. Of course, the car they gave him is a kind of threshing machine, but it is unacceptable that after ten races and four tests, the Finn is still at an average that fluctuates between seven-tenths and a clear second, not from the class-leading Mercedes, but from his teammate. Raikkonen is a delicate driver, he needs a perfect vehicle to excel, but this is too much. His time in the first stint of Q1 was ridiculous: 0.7 seconds behind Alonso. Two seconds behind pole-sitter Rosberg. And even slower than Jules Bianchi's Marussia, relegating him to an irritating seventeenth position. And it's even more irritating that Raikkonen blames the team for his failure. Granted, in terms of facts, he is right. For the third consecutive time this season, the team made a mistake in calculating the stopwatch and not sending out their pseudo-driver again. But we are talking about a team, and after a result like this, statements like:
"We haven't been in Formula 1 for a year; we can't make such mistakes".
Or:
"I asked several times to go out, and they told me no, and this is the result".
Cannot be heard. The good soul of Enzo Ferrari would have lost his temper. And who knows how he would have reacted knowing that, at the behest of Bernie Ecclestone, F1 bosses are considering a surprise move: bringing Flavio Briatore back to the Circus. Expelled in 2009 on the charge of having sent Nelsinho Piquet to crash into a wall, Briatore would return through the front door: he would be the new consultant to increase the show in the sport. Unfortunately for Ferrari fans, there is the race on Sunday. Alonso considered his fifth place in qualifying a great result. The Grand Prix is in the hands of Rosberg and his Mercedes. His because Hamilton's car - and mysteriously only his - continues to break down in increasingly strange ways. The Englishman has lost the use of the word; he suspects that there is a sneaky hand that sympathizes with his teammate. The others are racing for second place. On Sunday, July 27, 2014, the race starts at 2:00 p.m. The track is wet before the race, as thunderstorms have hit the area throughout the day. The air temperature ranges between 20 °C and 21 °C, with the track temperature between 27 °C and 28 °C. All the runners begin the race on intermediate tires. At the start of the race, Nico Rosberg leads into the first corner, while Valtteri Bottas overtakes Sebastian Vettel on the outside of turn one to take second position. Fernando Alonso also overtakes Vettel shortly after turn one to take third, but Vettel repasses him later on in the lap. Having started from the pit lane, Lewis Hamilton is not permitted to participate in the formation lap.
As a result, his brakes are cold, and on the first lap, he spins off at turn two. The front left of his car lightly scrapes against the barriers, mildly damaging the front wing, but otherwise, his car sustains no serious damage, and Hamilton rejoins the track, albeit last in 22nd position. By lap 9, Rosberg has pulled out an advantage over the field, and Hamilton has made his way up to 13th, but a crash by Marcus Ericsson means that the safety car is deployed. All the drivers pit under the safety car - all switching to dry tires except the two McLarens who put on more intermediates - but the timing of the safety car's deployment means that the top four runners (Rosberg, Bottas, Vettel, and Alonso) miss the pit entry and have to do the entire lap behind the safety car before they can pit, costing them a considerable amount of time to the cars behind. Following the pit stops, Rosberg has moved down from 1st to 4th, and Bottas loses out massively to move down from 2nd to 11th, while Hamilton maintains 13th. Daniel Ricciardo benefits greatly from the safety car timing and is now leading the race. The safety car stays out for longer than usual as Romain Grosjean loses control of his car and crashes under safety car conditions, but racing resumes on lap 14, and Jenson Button quickly passes Ricciardo for the lead. The following lap Rosberg is overtaken by Jean-Éric Vergne, demoting him to fifth, while Hamilton overtakes four cars in one lap to move up to ninth. Having done only two laps on the intermediates, Button pits from the lead for dry tires on lap 16 as it becomes clear that the track is drying. McLaren's decision to put him on a second set of intermediates at his first stop has cost him greatly, and he rejoins down the order in 16th.
On lap 17 Nico Hülkenberg retires after colliding with his teammate Sergio Pérez, though Pérez avoids any major damage. At this point, Hamilton is up to seventh behind Vettel and only a second back from Rosberg, who is still fifth and stuck behind Vergne. Alonso is excelling in the conditions and has moved up to third by lap 18. On lap 23 Pérez spins at the final corner and crashes into the pit wall, meaning that Force India has suffered their first double retirement of the season. This brings out another safety car, prompting Ricciardo and Massa to pit from first and second, rejoining in sixth and seventh behind Alonso, Vergne, Rosberg, Vettel, and Hamilton, all of whom stay out under the safety car. The safety car comes in on lap 27, and Alonso proceeds to pull out a lead over a train of cars reaching from second to fifth. The train of cars is led by Vergne, who is still holding up Rosberg, closely followed by Vettel and Hamilton. On lap 33 Rosberg pits for softs from third and rejoins in 13th, while Vettel spins at the final corner - in the same place as Perez did - but miraculously manages to avoid contact with the wall. This allows Hamilton to catch up to Vergne, and the following lap he overtakes Vergne on the outside at turn four. On lap 39 Alonso pits for soft tires, and a lap later Hamilton pits for medium tires, rejoining in fourth and fifth respectively. This promotes Ricciardo back into the lead of the race. Rosberg has been making up positions but has been jumped by Hamilton in the pit stops and is down in ninth. By lap 47, Rosberg has made further progress and is now almost a second behind Hamilton, with no cars separating them. Hamilton is given team orders to let Rosberg past, as Rosberg is on the softer tire and has one more stop to make, while Hamilton is on a two-stop strategy and does not have to pit again. However, Hamilton does not concede the place, replying on the radio:
"I'm not slowing down for Nico. If he gets close enough to overtake, he can overtake me".
Hamilton is aware that he is effectively racing Rosberg at this point, and he does not want to lose a considerable amount of time by lifting to let his title rival through, as Rosberg is still over a second behind him. Race-leader Ricciardo and Rosberg pit for soft tires on laps 54 and 56 respectively, rejoining in fourth and seventh. By lap 62, Alonso, Hamilton, and Ricciardo are running very closely in first, second, and third, with Hamilton 0.4 seconds behind Alonso and Ricciardo 0.4 seconds behind Hamilton. Meanwhile, Nico Rosberg is running fourth, over twenty seconds behind Ricciardo, but is rapidly closing the gap by up to three seconds a lap on his newer soft tires, setting the fastest lap of the race while doing so. On lap 63, Alonso cuts the chicane but avoids any penalty and maintains the race lead. Ricciardo passes Hamilton around the outside of turn two on lap 67, and then the following lap passes Alonso at turn one for the race lead with two laps to go. Alonso continues to defend his position from Hamilton, but both of their tires have fallen off their respective operating cliffs - having both done close to 30 laps on their tires - and by the final lap, Rosberg has caught up to the back of them.
Rosberg attempts to overtake Hamilton on the outside into turn two, but Hamilton defends and holds position. Ricciardo crosses the line to win his second race of the season by 5.2 seconds, with Alonso coming second and Hamilton and Rosberg close behind in third and fourth. Daniel Ricciardo steals the show at the Hungarian Grand Prix: the Australian driver secures his second career victory at the most challenging moment of the World Championship, dominated by Mercedes. However, there's also celebration in Ferrari, as Fernando Alonso aggressively guides the Maranello team to the podium, finishing in second place ahead of the formidable Hamilton-Rosberg duo. It's a miraculous achievement, considering Alonso used his tires to the limit, avoided a pit stop, and gained an advantage over his rivals. The Ferrari fans hoped for a historic first place until the end, but, as expected, fervent support can cloud judgment. Alonso's feat is truly miraculous, as keeping the two Mercedes behind with worn-out tires was a film-worthy accomplishment. Simply finishing the race without changing tires was a miracle itself. At the foot of the podium, Nico Rosberg's Mercedes, followed by Felipe Massa's Williams in fifth, Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari in sixth, Sebastian Vettel's seventh, and Valtteri Bottas's Williams in eighth. Kimi Raikkonen's surprising race deserves attention: starting from the seventeenth position, he finishes sixth in a thrilling race of overtakes and counter-overtakes, a performance unseen since his time at Ferrari. The race was a gamble, starting from the back, surviving early mishaps, and making it to the front of the pole-sitter - an impossible feat according to racing standards. Explains Fernando Alonso, shedding light on the secrets of his challenging yet exceptional race:
"It was a tough weekend, being on the podium is a great satisfaction, a surprise. We took risks, aiming for victory, and came close. We need crazy races to get on the podium".
And he adds:
"I am very satisfied and proud of this team for the work done in such a challenging race today. It was a combination of factors that made the race difficult, and we seized our opportunity with a bit of experience".
The president of Ferrari, Luca Montezemolo, immediately applauds the team's performance. Team principal Marco Mattiacci is also in celebration:
"We saw a great Alonso, good Kimi, a Ferrari spirit. We reacted to a difficult weekend, it was a great race that puts us on par with Ferrari. This result is excellent for morale; we must learn from this weekend and strive to return to where Ferrari deserves to be. There is still a long way to go, but it's good to start from these results".
Kimi Raikkonen criticizes the team:
"We did things right at the start, but we made the mistake yesterday. That's why we are only sixth. Better results now don't change everything; we need to do things better. We must improve in some areas to avoid stupid mistakes. There are many small things to improve to be where we should be. But it's not just me; it's the whole team. We still have a lot to improve".
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo celebrates his second career victory:
"I have to thank the team that helped me settle in and allowed me to bring home two victories in a few months. It's really phenomenal; I'm really happy. Tonight I will celebrate, and then I will celebrate for a few more days by resting. I can't wait for the Belgian Grand Prix".
Lewis Hamilton also joins the celebration:
"It was a crazy weekend for me. I absolutely have to thank the team that did a great job with pit stops. I tried to do well with a fantastic car; we have many positives to take with us after the break".
Starting from the pit lane, the British driver reaches the third step of the podium in the Hungarian Grand Prix behind Ricciardo and Alonso.
"At the beginning of the race, I had some difficulty with the slippery asphalt. I had problems with cold brakes; I went off, but fortunately, I managed not to damage the car".
Hamilton's happiness contrasts with Nico Rosberg's anger:
"I'm angry about the last lap; there was a chance, but I didn't make it. Maybe with one more lap, I could have made it. But that's how it is; the strategy, in the end, wasn't optimal, but it's easy to say in hindsight. Now it's difficult, but the fourth place is a lot of points and is important. In the last laps, I was doing qualifying times; I approached, but in the end, I didn't make it. It's important to still be leading the World Championship".
After the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff acknowledges the challenges:
"It's a tough time, but this is Formula 1. It's not always easy. The safety car came out at a difficult time for us. It was a spectacular race, but that's how it is. We still had reliability issues in the race, this time with the fuel pump on Lewis' car. It's not the way we want it".
Discussing the World Championship battle and the team radio exchange between Hamilton and Rosberg, the Austrian manager says:
"It's an intense but fair battle. We need to analyze and talk to both of them. It's clear they are fighting for the championship, but I don't think Nico was too close".
As the tenth race of the season unfolds, one thing can be said with certainty. Those who previously criticized Formula 1 as boring, focused on fuel savings, and labeled drivers as mere taxi drivers were speaking nonsense (perhaps to conceal undesirable results). The Formula 1 of this season is beautiful, captivating, and fiercely contested. Real on-track duels, such as the ongoing battle between Rosberg and Hamilton or the thrilling confrontations between Alonso and the Red Bull drivers, haven't been seen for years. The closing laps of the Hungarian Grand Prix, with its breathless final ten laps, will go down in history. If you add that all of this is happening using more ecological, economical, and sustainable technology, the triumph of FIA's Jean Todt becomes overwhelming. However, this is only the first part of the reasoning that the Hungarian Grand Prix suggests. It cannot be ignored that, despite the technological and competitive brilliance, the audience is fleeing, along with sponsors and investors. A massive and unstoppable hemorrhage that those advocating the "Formula boredom" had understood was imminent, although they misunderstood the reasons. The issues are neither related to the show format nor the sound of the engines. The spectacle is beautiful, and while it can be improved, Flavio Briatore has excellent ideas in this regard. It's just that it's becoming increasingly challenging to sell, especially to the younger audience. This likely has more to do with the age, attitudes, and selling capabilities of the marketer than the quality of the product. Ten laps like a novel, the most beautiful in the last twenty years of Formula 1. Ten laps with the best of this strange sport: engine roars and heartbeats.
Fernando Alonso's supernatural class, Lewis Hamilton's relentless hunger, Daniel Ricciardo's forceful youth, Nico Rosberg's anger. Four drivers, four cars, four different stories that chased and bit each other over the last 44 kilometers of the race on the outskirts of Budapest. Suddenly, Formula 1 finds itself at the 60th lap of the Hungarian Grand Prix. What it sees is a fiery red car, shining in the rain, speeding ahead. Fernando Alonso is on board, full of adrenaline. He's winning. After six hellish months pretending not to hear insults from the press and fans, he's finally winning. How he found himself in that situation is a detail: luck, a miracle, safety cars, rain, accidents, the hand of the motor god. It's all irrelevant; what matters is that he's now ahead, alone. But miracles in F1 last only as long as a set of Pirelli tires, about twenty laps. Alonso has already done 16 laps with those tires. Slowly, behind him, inevitable as the rising sun, the silver silhouette of Hamilton's Mercedes becomes larger. After a couple of laps, he's there, on him. Hamilton comes from afar, from another world, the world of Mercedes, the best, those who have created a car so superior that they can decide at the table which of the two drivers will ultimately win the championship. And the choice was unpleasant for Hamilton: Rosberg. So, for the last ten races, the Englishman disliked by his own is fighting against everyone, even against ghosts. The last chapter of this struggle had just taken place. The team had asked him to let Rosberg pass:
"He's on another strategy, let him pass".
But Hamilton didn't want to hear any stories. He didn't trust Rosberg. Rosberg is an enemy, and so are you. He held his position, betrayed. Compromising his teammate's race. And now, as a traitor, he has only one way to step out of the car and look others in the eye: to win and drown his displeasure in champagne. But Fernando is stubborn and tough, closing every gap. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo is coming from behind. He wanted to drive a Ferrari as a child. Something went wrong, and now he finds himself in a Red Bull Renault. He's in the right team but in the wrong year, he often repeats, chuckling, thinking about the last four glorious years of Red Bull. Ricciardo always laughs, and for this, they tease him a bit in the paddock. But he doesn't care:
"You should see how much I smile while driving".
His car has a good chassis, and his tires are just mounted. And just as Hamilton is busy envisioning a trajectory to pass Alonso, the Australian slips past him on the outside, unreachable, with a broad smile. Alonso must have swallowed, watching the scene from the rearview mirror. That overtaking is his doom. The Red Bull is more competitive, and Ricciardo is in a state of grace. The Spaniard can't even resist; he doesn't give him time and surrenders. But it's not the end. Because behind Ricciardo was Hamilton. And most importantly, behind Hamilton, Rosberg has returned, going three seconds per lap faster than anyone thanks to the alternate strategy. Betrayal didn't kill him; it only wounded and infuriated him. He wants only one thing now: revenge. He aims for Hamilton's exhaust like he wants to devour it. And he almost succeeds. The last seconds are at high tension, with cars hitting curbs and grass, miraculously rejoining the track. A kind of brawl at 300 km/h. It costs meters and seconds. Enough to allow Alonso to escape and grab the checkered flag for second place. The two of them, Hamilton and Rosberg, third and fourth, will have the rest of the championship to decide who was right. The beautiful thing about certain novels is that there's a sequel.
"If we were to evaluate this result emotionally, we would make a big mistake. Humility is needed. The second place is good for our morale, but nothing more. On Monday, when I return to Maranello, I want to start from what happened on Saturday, not from Alonso's second place".
Marco Mattiacci, Ferrari's team principal, is not one to let himself be carried away by enthusiasm.
And perhaps this is good news for Ferrari fans because despite Fernando Alonso's splendid race (and Kimi Raikkonen's finally excellent performance), there are many reasons for the men in Maranello to reflect after the weekend in Budapest. Starting, precisely, from what happened on Saturday. From the glaring strategy error, that is, committed by the pit wall in assessing the safe time for Q2. A disastrous flop that cost Kimi Raikkonen - guilty, in turn, of having previously set an uncompetitive time and not insisting on retrying - starting from P17. And it wasn't even the first strategy mistake of this season. That's why Mattiacci wants to start from Saturday. Because his project is long-term and requires structural interventions, perhaps even on the composition of the engineers:
"This second place is the result of meteorological conditions and particular circumstances and cannot change anything in the trajectory of the work and ideas we have in mind to relaunch Ferrari".
A project that sees Fernando Alonso as an irreplaceable pivot:
"Alonso is the best driver in Formula 1, without discussion. That said, Ferrari is a company with a strong, unique history and values, and that's where we need to start".
The Spanish driver seems to agree. And this is a good omen for the ongoing contract renewal negotiations:
"I am very motivated. I won the last championship in 2006, and my career should be in a declining phase, but it is in full growth. I feel very loved by the people, and this gives me enthusiasm. I can't wait to give something back to them in terms of trophies and world titles".
Meanwhile, however, there is a season to close, which risks being the worst in recent Ferrari history. And it may be that life seems less bitter from the second step of the podium, but at least today, Alonso appeared less pessimistic than usual on this point. He doesn't miss the opportunity, the Spaniard, to say that the fifth position is a miracle for this Ferrari. Now, however, he does not exclude being able to bring the F14T to victory by the end of the year:
"We have seen that when the races get a bit complicated, everything becomes possible. Of course, we need special conditions, like today, safety cars, and upheavals, but I think in the end, some good results are possible".