Fernando Alonso may want other cars, but certainly others still want Fernando Alonso's car, i.e., Ferrari. And so, on Tuesday, July 30, 2013, during the evening, while everyone chases the possibility of Kimi Raikkonen returning to Maranello (an option that entices the Finn more than Montezemolo), news arrives from England: Lewis Hamilton's father, Anthony. Former manager of his son, officially Anthony Hamilton looks after the interests of one of the many candidates for Felipe Massa's seat, Paul di Resta. However, he recently admitted to being back on good terms with Lewis (whom he facilitated in moving to Mercedes). After a day of private meetings, Anthony Hamilton continued to discuss business over dinner, in front of a nice trio of first courses at the legendary Montana restaurant, where Michael Schumacher used to indulge in fettuccine. Could this be the path chosen by Ferrari to give Fernando Alonso the motivation he seems to have lost? Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton continues to say that he is very happy at Mercedes, but, as reported by some English websites:
"What I can say is that throughout my career, from karting onwards, Ferrari has always been one of the top teams, and it's a desire for all drivers to be able to drive for them".
The temptation is there:
"When you have a chance, no matter where you are or what car you drive, you look at Ferrari and think it's interesting. But as I said, at the moment I'm really happy where I am, and I hope Mercedes keeps me for a long time".
The British driver also mentioned that he wouldn't mind having someone like Alonso or Sebastian Vettel as a teammate:
"I would fight against any driver, anywhere and at any time".
Red Bull Racing has made its choice: next year, Daniel Ricciardo will be Sebastian Vettel's new teammate, following Mark Webber's announced departure from Formula 1. The speculation comes from the German magazine Sport Bild, according to which the Anglo-Austrian team has decided on the replacement for the Australian starting from 2014. Ricciardo, a compatriot of Webber, currently races for Scuderia Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing's sister team, and his best result this year has been seventh place at the Chinese Grand Prix in April.
Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has been behind the wheel of Red Bull Racing during the young driver tests, lapping in times not much slower than the World Champion. The official announcement could come as early as the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Helmut Marko, head of the Red Bull Racing driver program, limits himself to saying:
"Unfortunately, I can't say anything before Spa".
The Red Bull Racing team has also been linked to Kimi Raikkonen, currently with Lotus, and Fernando Alonso. Apparently, Red Bull Racing has decided to focus on a young, promising driver and, above all, one with a less dominant personality.
"I know Seb (Vettel, ed.) quite well, having been the reserve driver for Red Bull in 2010. I've had dinner with him a couple of times, and I get along really well with him".
explained Daniel Ricciardo to Sport Bild just before the summer break of the World Championship. The Australian also admitted that he doesn't expect equal treatment with the three-time World Champion right away:
"Definitely not at the beginning of the season, but I also want to win, and I'm in F1 to be the best".
A possible clue to the imminent announcement from Red Bull Racing is also provided by Franz Tost, the team principal of Scuderia Toro Rosso, who speaks of Portuguese driver Antonio Felix Da Costa as the ideal candidate to replace Daniel Ricciardo next year. According to Sport Bild, the decision of Red Bull Racing would bring Kimi Raikkonen closer to a return to Ferrari, which at the end of the season will have to evaluate the future of Brazilian driver Felipe Massa again. After the long summer break, the Formula 1 circus is ready to return to the track: on Sunday, August 25, 2013, the Belgian Grand Prix takes place at Spa. Fernando Alonso has never managed to win on the famous Ardennes circuit, more determined than ever to break this taboo, also to reverse the trend of the not-so-brilliant results of the Scuderia in the previous races.
"Together with Monaco, Monza, and other famous tracks, Spa has added value confirmed by its roll of honor, where the names of the great champions who have written pages of history on these roads appear. I really hope that my name can be added this year. I had a good race on this track in 2005 when I finished second, and also in Formula 3000. I have never been in a position to fight for the victory and have often been forced to retire, sometimes simply due to bad luck, other times due to technical problems or my mistakes. It would be nice to change direction this year and manage to recover some of the many points lost in the past races".
When asked about the most exciting point of the Spa circuit, Alonso answers without hesitation: Eau Rouge.
"It's an uphill turn taken in seventh gear at over 300 km/h. Even though with the current Formula 1 cars, it is taken with the throttle fully open, the body has to withstand the strongest compression of the entire championship, and I think this is what makes the turn incredibly special. The first and third sectors are entirely made up of long straights, where the best performance is linked to the lowest load and top speed. In the central sector, made up of numerous curves, the maximum downforce makes the difference. Finding the right balance here is always very complex and is the main goal of the work scheduled for the free practice sessions".
Felipe Massa is also a fan of Eau Rouge and its roller-coaster sensations, although it is not his favorite turn.
"In a current F1 car, with all the technology and aerodynamic load at your disposal, while it remains a turn, Eau Rouge is actually tackled like a straight, i.e., with the throttle fully open, every lap of the weekend. I prefer the part of the track between the end of the second sector and the beginning of the third, where there is a sequence of fast corners and changes of direction. I think the most challenging part is right after the climb of Eau Rouge, where a long straight is followed by a sequence of chicanes in the downhill part. In this area of the track, the slightest mistake results in a significant time loss per lap".
Massa has a victory on the Spa circuit in his track record, achieved in 2008.
"This is a track where all drivers want to win at least once. I love Spa, and I hope to be able to increase the number of my victories on this circuit as soon as possible. They are very special successes that have great value in a driver's history".
Meanwhile, the driver market is hotting up for the next World Championship.
"It's an option".
Steve Robertson, Kimi Raikkonen's agent, responds this way to the question about the possibility of the Finnish driver returning to Ferrari in 2014.
"My job is to talk about all the teams that have available seats, and that's what I'll do".
Kimi Raikkonen, World Champion with Ferrari in 2007, is having an excellent season with Lotus, attracting the attention of Red Bull Racing as well, in search of Mark Webber's replacement. Fading the possibility of pairing with Sebastian Vettel, a return to Maranello would remain for Iceman. However, sources close to Ferrari suggest that the team management will only deal with the matter after the Italian Grand Prix, in order to draw a more concrete balance of Felipe Massa's season, which is expiring. Also in the running for a possible replacement for the Brazilian are Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta. Lotus will not be weakened to keep Kimi Raikkonen for the next season. This is how the managers of the Enstone team summarize their thoughts on the future of the Finnish driver. Explains Lotus team principal Eric Boullier:
"I would like to keep him with us, to be honest, but only under the right conditions".
Kimi Raikkonen has been at the center of various market rumors for the upcoming season for several weeks. Meanwhile, the manager of the Finn, Steve Robertson, explains that the negotiation for his possible move to Red Bull Racing has fallen through. Among the hypotheses circulating more insistently in recent days, especially considering Red Bull Racing's intention to focus on the Australian Daniel Ricciardo, there is the possibility of Raikkonen's potential return to Ferrari, where in 2007, he gifted them the last world title. Raikkonen has privately expressed his desire to stay with Lotus for the next year as well. It remains to be seen whether Lotus can guarantee a salary that meets Raikkonen's demands and a competitive technical and financial package for the next season.
"The story with Kimi is not over yet. Kimi is obviously an excellent driver, and everyone knows that. We would like to keep him, but under the right conditions".
The problem, apparently, is purely financial. The Enstone team has yet to finalize the agreement with the consortium of investors from Infinity Racing, which, if successful, could provide significant financial guarantees for the future.
"If we cannot afford it for financial reasons, then I don't want it because it would be difficult to build something based on these premises. But if possible, we would like to keep him".
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso does not give up. His pursuit of the world title resumes from Spa: the Spanish Ferrari driver tries to motivate the team ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
"We must focus on the races, stay united, and try to win this championship. We know how difficult it is, but we must believe in it. I want a team ready to row in the same direction, paying the utmost attention to the car to avoid mistakes. The title will be decided from here to Singapore; we must find those three tenths we have been looking for a long time to make the leap in quality".
Alonso dismisses the alleged controversies with Montezemolo.
"He received wrong information about what I said in Hungary; now everything is behind us. The relationship between us is better than ever; he is a great motivator and remains the father of our family. He said exactly what we expected from him".
Alonso returns to the problems with the car.
"We are behind Red Bull, Mercedes, and Lotus, but this situation can change from one race to another. We will have more significant updates race after race until Singapore. Is Massa close to leaving? I don't like talking about teammates; it would be disrespectful to Felipe. In these four years, we have done an excellent teamwork. Whether it's Felipe or not, we all need to improve together".
The eve of the Belgian Grand Prix also records statements from Sebastian Vettel, who gives his opinion on market rumors suggesting Kimi Raikkonen's possible return to Ferrari.
"I think Kimi is very direct; I don't know how realistic his return to Ferrari is. I get along quite well with him, and I would be happy if he finds a suitable place. I think he would be a good teammate, but it won't happen; it doesn't make sense to talk about it. Has Alonso trained a lot? I rested; I don't know what he has done. I know he's quite active on Twitter, but I don't follow him. I don't have his phone number; I'm not part of this exclusive club".
The ghost hovers over the paddock. Kimi Raikkonen is not there, citing sudden indisposition, perhaps a good excuse not to face the press and talk about his future. For practice, qualifying, and the race, there is no problem, says Lotus, his current team, and so the cool Kimi will only appear on Friday. Absent, but everyone talks about the ghost of Raikkonen. Summer gossip thrives on it, with excellent rebound from many sites, claiming that at a party in Finland, he would have admitted to having already signed with Ferrari. Now, knowing his inclination to have a lot of fun at parties, it is not known in what state he said it or if he really said it. After all, other sites swear they saw Hulkenberg (another candidate to wear the red suit, in trouble at the moment due to Sauber's economic problems preventing him from receiving a regular salary) in Maranello, ready to say yes to Ferrari, and there are no confirmations on this either. It is unknown if Raikkonen's admission happened, or if it is just a product of imagination. Still, following rumors, there is a risk of believing everything and its opposite, especially after his manager Robertson first (on Tuesday) talked about Ferrari as an option and then, the next day, performed a fantastic somersault claiming that the priority is to stay with Lotus. The rumors circulate unchecked; the fact remains that the subject is strong (a return would be sensational after the stormy divorce in 2009 and a sabbatical year spent on the payroll and dabbling in rallies), and it dominates everywhere at Spa. Ferrari watches impassively, the drivers do not. Even Vettel believes it's right to have his say and, after crowning him in memory, as he already knows that the role will be filled by the Australian Ricciardo, he deems the hypothesis of a move to Ferrari unrealistic.
"It seems difficult to me. He is a straightforward guy, and he has already been to Maranello".
He spent three years there, winning the World Championship in the first year and then playing a supporting role when Alonso was there. And what does the Spaniard think of a possible collaboration?
"It would not be nice to talk about it regarding Massa, disrespectful to a driver I have worked with very well for four seasons".
The easy corner rescue. But then, teased about the fact that someone like Raikkonen could threaten his historic leadership, here comes the pointed response:
"I certainly wouldn't be afraid. In Ferrari, we always start on equal terms, and only in the end do we favor whoever is capable of winning. And then it seems to me that in 2008 and 2009 Massa was faster than him".
As if to say: why shouldn't I succeed? Yet, beyond certain phrases, some argue that the two respect each other and could coexist. Anyway, for the Spaniard, the present is what matters most:
"We must believe in the title; we have some news in the car; let's hope it works. We must not give up. Spa, Monza, and Singapore, the next three races will be decisive. At this moment, in terms of physical fitness and determination, I give myself a ten".
And in the relationship with Montezemolo?
"Never been so good. In Budapest, I was misunderstood. But I have already clarified with him".
On Friday, August 23, 2013, the sky clears, and the Red Bull Racing cars return. After the morning rain that had seen Fernando Alonso ahead of everyone and Sebastian Vettel lagging behind, on the dry track of Spa, the World Champion's cars dominate. The fastest is Vettel. The German closes with the best time of 1'49"331, just 0.059 seconds ahead of his teammate, Mark Webber. Third, more than 0.8 seconds behind, is the Frenchman Romain Grosjean, driving the Lotus. The first Ferrari is Felipe Massa, fourth ahead of the Toro Rosso of Jean Eric Vergne and the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen. Only seventh, more than a second behind, is Fernando Alonso. The top ten is completed by the Mexican Sergio Perez with McLaren, the German Nico Rosberg with Mercedes, and the Scotsman Paul di Resta with Force India. Three punctures make a trial: the trial that maybe something is wrong again, with the memory of Silverstone still fresh, with the exploded tires of Hamilton, Massa, Perez, Vergne, and di Resta. Or maybe not, since Pirelli, analyzing the problems experienced by Vettel with Red Bull Racing, Alonso with Ferrari, and Van der Garde with Caterham, speaks of simple cuts, punctured tires due to some debris on the track. However, there is the peculiar detail that both Vettel and Alonso punctured at the same point, turn 14, and the same tire, the right rear, with the Spaniard reporting the problem and managing to return to the pits without damage, while the German suffered a failure, with the tire losing pressure and destroying the tread, damaging the rear part of his car. Three punctures could be evidence that something is wrong again. At least that's what the drivers think, who in the usual closed-door meeting with Whiting, the safety manager, express their voices rather irritated. Certainly, it did not put them in a good mood to learn that even in the GP2 (which this weekend adopts Pirelli with a Kevlar structure for the first time, like the top series, and not in steel), there was a puncture at the decisive moment of qualifying, an incident that heavily penalized the Monegasque Stefano Coletti of Team Rapax, the best in free practice and only twentieth in qualifying. The first to speak, in a meeting that only hosts the drivers, is Fernando Alonso. Usually very direct, already hot, after finishing the last free session in seventh place, he had expressed his concern.
"I've had a puncture, and I'd like to know what happened to Vettel, if he had the same issue as me".
He had stated in front of the pits, repeating things in the presence of the drivers and Whiting. Vettel immediately replied, indicating that perhaps the troubles were the same, and at that point, everyone started demanding guarantees from Pirelli. Sutil, who later denied in front of the media but was ready to threaten not to race if the Italian company did not provide written safety assurances, played a significant role. This was enough to prompt Whiting's intervention. He went to Pirelli and asked to see the implicated tires. The situation continued, amid accusations and suspicions, with the Italian company reaffirming that there were no structural issues but only punctures due to debris, until late in the evening. At that point, the FIA representative, speaking informally with the drivers, including Vettel, indicated that they would receive comprehensive explanations from their respective teams before the final practice session in the morning. The tire nightmare overshadowed Red Bull Racing's dominance (Vettel first, Webber second) in the final practice session, and the significant gaps to Lotus (Grosjean third, Raikkonen sixth), Ferrari (Massa fourth, Alonso seventh), and Mercedes (Rosberg ninth, Hamilton twelfth).
However, Alonso is not worried.
"We are on the right track".
Indeed, there is a close battle between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso in the third and final free practice session before the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. The Red Bull Racing World Champion set the fastest time, 1'48'327, on the last lap, just 0.105 seconds ahead of the Spanish driver. The hypothetical second row is occupied by Mark Webber's other Red Bull Racing, two tenths behind his teammate, and Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso. The good performance of Ferrari is confirmed by Felipe Massa's fifth time, followed by Jenson Button and Esteban Gutierrez. Eighth and tenth times for the Lotuses of Grosjean and Raikkonen, ninth and twelfth for the Mercedes of Rosberg and Hamilton. However, surprisingly, Lewis Hamilton secures pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix, the eleventh race of the Formula 1 World Championship. The Briton, driving for Mercedes, sets the fastest time of 2'01"012 in the third and decisive qualifying session. Alongside him on the front row will be the German Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull Racing. The two Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa disappoint, finishing in ninth and tenth positions and starting from the fifth row. For Hamilton, it is the fourth consecutive pole, the fifth of the season. The third and decisive qualifying session started in heavy rain, and the track conditions improved in the final minutes. Hamilton took advantage of the situation to secure another pole position. The second row is occupied by the other Red Bull Racing of Australian Mark Webber and completed by Nico Rosberg's Mercedes. The fifth time is set by Scotland's Paul di Resta with Force India, and the sixth time goes to Britain's Jenson Button with McLaren. The fourth row will see the two Lotuses of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen. The two Ferraris of Alonso and Massa perform poorly. Due to a spin, Alonso did not have the opportunity to take advantage of the improved track conditions in the final minutes of the session. German Nico Hulkenberg, eliminated in Q2 by a few milliseconds, will start from the sixth row alongside compatriot Adrian Sutil. Mexican Sergio Perez disappoints again, finishing only thirteenth with McLaren. There's a small satisfaction for Dutchman Giedo van der Garde, who, after unexpectedly making it to Q2, will start from fourteenth place with his Caterham. The Toro Rosso team faces a difficult start: Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo were both eliminated in the first qualifying session and will start from the ninth and tenth rows, respectively. At the end of the practices, Fernando Alonso tells the media:
"When there are conditions like today's, anything can happen. But if the cloud releases more rain in the last 5 minutes, making the track wetter, the last lap becomes useless. The positive aspect is that we were the fastest in Q1 and second in Q2. We know we have a good race pace, and here we can make a difference. Tomorrow, I would prefer to have the same conditions as today, dry-wet, dry-wet. This way, we have everything to gain with a chaotic race, but we have to make the right decisions, even though with this weather, all choices can be up in the air".
Felipe Massa also believes in Ferrari's comeback:
"I tried to do something that, if it worked, would have been perfect. It started raining, and I thought, let's try it now; maybe it rains more, and I get the best track. But it stopped, and I couldn't continue. The others found the best track. Tomorrow won't be an easy race because we start from backward positions, but anything can happen here, and we must be ready".
According to a rumor, Michelin could replace Pirelli as the sole tire supplier for Formula 1 in 2014. The French company has reportedly initiated talks with the FIA and is willing to return to the sport despite the short notice. Michelin's top executives, as reported by internal sources, are in favor of the idea, and a meeting between Bernie Ecclestone and Pascal Couasnon, director of Michelin Motorsport, is imminent. A Michelin spokesperson confirms the interest in returning to F1, provided that some changes are made to the regulations of the World Championship. Michelin left F1 at the end of 2006. Fernando Alonso claims that the statement made on Saturday afternoon is ironic:
"I spun around, because of the spin, I lost time, didn't have the chance to do another lap, and the opportunity to secure pole slipped away".
He conveys the (non-serious) meaning of his words on Twitter.
"I was joking; in reality, I didn't have enough fuel for another lap".
The debate is open, now, between microphones, notebooks, and tweets, we are in the exegesis of the Spanish driver's thoughts. There is a strong feeling of his decisive mistake and a missed opportunity by Ferrari. Never before has the team felt so competitive on a Saturday, ready, as claimed, to take a risk. With Massa, just changing the tires, two laps of fuel, and go, getting out ahead of the others, hoping for continued rain and a wetter track, with the result of putting him on the front row and not, as happened, in tenth place. But also with Alonso, who had new tires and fuel. The Spaniard had to behave like Red Bull and Mercedes, that is, like Webber and Vettel, who in extremis went from tenth and ninth to first and second, before Hamilton arrived, agreeing on the best time, the fourth consecutive pole. They did it because they stayed on the track until the last moment; the checkered flag at 3:00 p.m. did not prevent them from making another attempt with rain over and the track drying. Alonso couldn't, as he made a mistake on the first occasion, lost a handful of seconds, slowed down, and then, after restarting and improving his time by 8 seconds, as they say in jargon, he took the flag, meaning he knew that qualifying ended there (ninth time and fifth row) and that there would be no last chance with a better track. Words and tweets can confuse reality, but they do not change the substance. This time, in this damp Spa, Ferrari was there and should have started much further ahead. You can curse bad luck, with Massa (the wrong tactical choice remains), but mistakes cannot be ignored, even by Alonso, although his pride struggles to admit it. He admits it himself.
"Since the car, with the innovations brought here, has improved, this time it is on par with the best. If we are ninth and tenth, it means something didn't work; Red Bull read the situation better than us, Vettel and Webber were more skilled".
That's right, even though there might be another witty remark from the Spaniard.
"If the cloud had been slower to disappear, now we would have the Red Bulls in the fifth row and Massa in the front".
The unpredictable weather in Belgium (today's race is expected to be a lottery as well) has decided on a different outcome, so all that's left for Ferrari is to hope for a miraculous comeback. Alonso promises it:
"Last year here, I was fifth, and Vettel eleventh; at the first corner, Grosjean wiped me out, and the German had a free pass. Why couldn't I be the lucky one this time? Like at Silverstone, where my qualifying was disastrous, but I ended up on the podium while he had a gearbox failure. At Spa, overtaking is possible, and anything can happen. The important thing is to avoid incidents at the start. If I survive the first lap unscathed, I'll take my chances".
Bet won. At Spa, where the rain enjoys creating puddles but also on one's career. They used to tell Lewis Hamilton:
"You're crazy to leave McLaren for Mercedes".
Yet, here he is, radiant, with his fourth consecutive pole, the fifth in eleven races, the king of Saturdays with gleaming thoughts of championships. He seems emotional and happy.
But isn't this the first time he's starting ahead of everyone?
"It's the thirty-first, I know, one step away from Mansell, but it feels like the first. I enjoy driving, and the motivations are always the same. I needed to try new challenges, and everything is going great with Mercedes".
His lap was a masterpiece.
"A heart-stopping one, especially at the first corner; I was 3 seconds slower, and it was raining harder. Later, I realized I was even 8 seconds behind; I felt like I was on a raft, I was sinking. But I didn't think about anything, just pushing like crazy".
That's how he beat everyone.
"An incredible thing, when they told me, I thought it was a joke. Overtaking Vettel, leaving everyone in the dust. Now, the focus is on the race, even though on Friday, the Red Bulls seemed to be from another planet".
Toto Wolff suggests that you should already think about the 2014 car. Is the World Championship lost?
"I don't think so. I don't obsess over 2014 or even the present. My goal is to win now and as much as possible. Whether it will be enough for the World Championship, we'll see".
On Sunday, August 25, 2013, during the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, Mark Webber suffers clutch problems right from the start and falls from third to sixth after one lap. On the other hand, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso both enjoy a great getaway, running in fourth and fifth places respectively. Sebastian Vettel has a great run up Eau Rouge and overtakes pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton down Kemmel Straight on the first lap and quickly takes a commanding lead over the Mercedes duo. Alonso and Webber both pass Button, and the Spaniard continues to fight his way up the field, overtaking Nico Rosberg for third place. Kimi Räikkönen is also working his way up the field, but excessive brake dust is coming out of Finn's left front wheel at an early stage in the race. On the eighth lap, Sergio Pérez is handed a drive-through penalty for forcing Romain Grosjean off the track. As a result, Grosjean has to straight line Les Combes and falls from eighth to tenth as Felipe Massa takes advantage. Räikkönen's brakes ultimately fail as the Finn goes off massively at the Chicane, nearly collecting Massa in the process. The Lotus driver retires the car, which means that his record run of consecutive points finishes ends at 27. It is later discovered that a loose visor tear-off got stuck inside the left front brake duct, causing the disc to overheat. After the first round of pit stops, Hamilton successfully retains second place from Alonso, but the latter quickly finds his way through. Further down the order, a battle involving Esteban Gutiérrez, Pastor Maldonado, and the Force India duo is raging. As the four cars approach the final chicane, the young Mexican successfully makes his move on both Adrian Sutil and Maldonado. The German tries to follow but clips the Williams driver's front wing. Maldonado dives for the pits only to collect the second Force India of Paul di Resta. As a result, the Venezuelan has to pit for a new front wing and receives a ten seconds stop-and-go penalty while di Resta retires his car on the spot. Vettel wins the race, ahead of Alonso and Hamilton. Nico Rosberg successfully fights off Webber for fourth, finishing less than three seconds behind his teammate. Button takes sixth for McLaren, while the race-long scrap between Massa and Grosjean ends with the Brazilian in front for seventh. Sutil and Daniel Ricciardo take ninth and tenth respectively. Sebastian Vettel, the superstar: A few corners were all he needed to mock Lewis Hamilton, who started from pole position, and go on to win, or rather dominate, the Belgian Grand Prix. An impressive race pace that surprised everyone but wasn't enough to earn him the title of the man of the day. That honor went to an unleashed Fernando Alonso, who, starting from ninth, climbed to second place, driving the crowd into a frenzy with overtakes, fast laps, and breathtaking moves.
The Spaniard displayed his full repertoire, making it the race of his life and becoming the man of the day, proving that when it comes to determination, he is second to none. Lewis Hamilton settled for third place, a meager consolation for someone who started from pole and had a significant advantage in the speed of his Mercedes. Fourth place went to Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes, followed by Mark Webber in the Red Bull Racing. Jenson Button secured the sixth position in the McLaren, ahead of Felipe Massa's Ferrari and Romain Grosjean's Lotus. Finishing in the points were Adrian Sutil in the Force India and Daniel Ricciardo in the Toro Rosso. At this point, the problem for others is that Vettel has now surged ahead in the World Championship standings, with a lead of over 40 points, making him seemingly unbeatable. The Red Bull Racing once again demonstrated its superiority in terms of performance. The question remains the same for the past four years: how do you beat him? Ferrari might have an answer: start at least a bit higher on the starting grid. However, given the performance seen at Spa against the Red Bull Racing, it seemed nearly impossible. The World Championship is not over, as Stefano Domenicali reiterated after the race several times, but someone will have to come up with something to stay ahead of the formidable Red Bull Racing. Whatever that something is, it must be technical; Alonso and Hamilton (not to mention Raikkonen) have shown they can do their job exceptionally well. If only they had faster cars...
"It was a fantastic race for us, from start to finish".
Celebrates Sebastian Vettel at Spa, marking his 31st career victory, just one triumph away from Fernando Alonso's record.
"The strategies were excellent and helped me pass Hamilton. Then, I built a good gap with an incredible pace and controlled the race, with a car better than we thought. I was afraid it might rain, but I didn't have to make any critical decisions. We worked hard and achieved a fantastic result; it couldn't have gone better. I enjoyed it, as did the guys on the pit wall, and now we can't wait for Monza, where we don't expect to be as strong".
Lewis Hamilton comments on his third-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix, a result that allows him to equal Niki Lauda's number of podiums (54).
"Vettel and Alonso were faster during the race, but the team did a great job, achieving excellent results. I'm happy with the result and grateful to the fans for making the weekend special. Initially, we thought we didn't have a good enough package, but the signs are encouraging, and we can improve for Monza".
In a comeback attempt, Kimi Raikkonen overshoots a corner and has to retire from the race, losing his second position in the World Championship in the process.
"Too bad. I was in a strong comeback, with the car performing well. Then a brake issue knocked me out, and there was nothing I could do".
Finally, Alonso, the real one that Ferrari desires, the one who ignites the fans with on-track battles rather than Twitter feuds. In a spectacular race at Spa, he goes from ninth to second, earning 18 points and asserting that the World Championship is not over. A masterpiece of a race. It wasn't enough to win because, once again, he had to bow to the Martian-like Sebastian Vettel, an extraterrestrial in his perfection, and a missile in his car, the Red Bull Racing that withstands everything, competitive on any circuit, excelling in wet and shining in scorching sun. The Red Bull Racing never disappoints, and it never derails Sebastian Vettel, the contender for a fourth consecutive world title, with 31 victories at just 26 years old and a race where he led for over 2.000 laps.
Vettel has overshadowed everyone, starting with Hamilton. He started strong, navigated Eau Rouge flawlessly, a turn that could give an ordinary driver a heart attack, and after half a lap, he had already passed the Englishman. He took the lead, greeted everyone, and his rivals only saw him at the finish line. He controlled the race effortlessly and admits to having only one worry:
"At one point, they told me over the radio that it might start raining. I was leading, calm, and hoped it wouldn't. My team is fantastic, its work exceptional, never a mistake. Fortunately, in this case, they were wrong".
They had told him to push, to increase the gap, but it wasn't necessary because he is a perpetual escapee. A driver who, for four years, knows only how to win and, just for superstition or perhaps out of pity for his competitors, refuses to admit that he feels another title in the bag.
"I only think about one race at a time, and I already know that we will struggle at Monza because it's not our favorite track".
It's something to wish for, to add a bit of unpredictability to this monotonous monologue, with a leader who has a 46-point advantage over Alonso, 58 over Hamilton, and 63 over Raikkonen—in other words, an abyss. Vettel has taken center stage. However, Alonso, with an endless series of overtakes, four at the start and four more during the race against Rosberg, Webber, Button, and Hamilton, did not diminish himself. He feared the first corner, where Grosjean had crashed into him last year, possibly costing him the World Championship, and he handled it magnificently. His Ferrari performed admirably, inferior only to the Red Bull Racing, and he utilized his ancient determination to the fullest. He quickly seized the second position and held onto it in a race that didn't offer the usual thrills that Spa is known for. Normally, the weather changes three or four times during the hour and a half of the Grand Prix, but this time, the humid air was a constant from start to finish. Thus, with no changing track conditions, Hamilton comfortably secured third place after realizing that there was no competition with Red Bull Racing and Ferrari. Rosberg followed for fourth place, Webber drove like a taxi driver to fifth, and Button engineered his way to finish sixth. Only Massa and Grosjean (with Raikkonen retiring after 28 consecutive races in the points) had erratic performances. The Brazilian had a terrible start, dropping to twelfth, but with strategy and some overtaking (including against Grosjean), he finished seventh. Not a result worthy of Ferrari, unfortunately, but not a surprise. Fernando Alonso, not bad for this comeback.
"It was necessary, essential to still believe in the world title. From ninth to second, a nice feat. Here, my Ferrari had the right speed to overtake many cars. If I hadn't been able to recover all these positions, it would have been over. Instead, we can still fight. No giving up".
However, it remains an unfinished masterpiece. Vettel won.
"My car here was competitive, I can't complain. But even if I had started further ahead, if we had secured one of the front two rows, as the car's potential allowed, I still wouldn't have won the race. It was impossible to beat Vettel; he was four tenths faster per lap".
However, don't you think the bad Saturday had an impact?
"I repeat, we shouldn't have started ninth. But we didn't have a pole-winning car either. A first step has been taken; we are at the level of the Mercedes, but not yet the Red Bulls. The new pieces are working, and more will come".
Do you think there might be a chance at Monza?
"Usually, we are very competitive on that track, while Red Bull struggles a bit. Already last year, we could have won; we'll do everything to achieve it in two weeks. I would like to give a smile to our fans; they deserve a great joy".
But it risks being an end in itself because with a 46-point disadvantage, it's hard to believe in winning the World Championship.
"Those who think that have a short memory. For now, let's try to triumph at Monza, for the morale of the whole team. Then remember that in 2012, right after that race, I had a 41-point lead over Vettel, and we all know how it ended. If you have a car that makes you win races, you quickly catch up. Vettel did it twelve months ago, why shouldn't I?"
Why has your Ferrari never been superior to Red Bull Racing?
"But we always work to become so. July was a terrible month; the whole team had low morale. We had to reconnect with the car; from Budapest to Belgium, the improvement was significant. Clearly, we have to persist".
Spa confirms your curse. You have never won here. Did you ever believe you could break the spell?
"No. The only chance was if Vettel had a breakdown. In fact, at a certain point, the race became very boring for me. My first lap was fantastic; I had no trouble in the first corner. Then I overtook others until I found myself in second. At that point, I realized that others could never catch me, but I would never catch Vettel either. So I just had to bring the car to the finish line".
What would you say to a Ferrari fan to make them hope for a miracle?
"The same thing that makes me optimistic. In the first five races, we were extremely competitive; we won two, and each time, we could fight for the podium. We just need to return to that level. And hope that Red Bull slows down a bit".
Kimi Raikkonen can be caustic even when the world is falling on him. For twenty-seven races in a row, he finished in the points, and his Lotus seemed indestructible, always in the points from Bahrain, the fourth race, to Brazil, the last, in 2012, and consistently in the top ten this season. Always, until now, when his brakes betrayed him and forced a sad retirement to the pits. You would think, now he will complain and bring down the sky. Instead, with a sardonic smile, he says:
"Sooner or later, luck runs out. For a very long time, we had super reliability; in a way, I expected it".
Too bad the stop came at the wrong time, when everyone was talking about him, linking him to Red Bull Racing and now to Ferrari, while Lotus closes ranks and swears to keep him. A man on the market who made a cameo appearance at Spa, in a race he had won four times in his career. He had often excelled by maneuvering through the puddles; perhaps, during the Grand Prix, it didn't rain at all, and he seemed stuttering even at the start.
"The start wasn't so bad, but there was no space at the first corner; I had to go over the curb and lost time. I hoped to recover with the strategy, but it was destined that everything would go wrong this time".
A stroke of bad luck that catapults him out of the race for the World Championship.
Now, he's 63 points behind Vettel. Too much. Raikkonen whispers:
"Maybe it's not over".
But it seems he doesn't believe it either. On the other hand, Ferrari wants to go on the attack. The Maranello team's task force is ready to launch its attack, improve the car with a planned development package, put pressure on Red Bull Racing, beat them, especially at Monza, during the Italian Grand Prix, make them feel the breath on their neck to induce errors. All the men in red are mobilized, starting with the drivers. Massa will already be at the factory on Friday to spend hours in the simulator, taking advantage of the fact that the next day in nearby Brisighella, he will receive an award in memory of Bandini. Alonso will begin his full immersion from Monday, with promotional events, but above all, with the opportunity to test all those improvements, especially aerodynamic, that the team intends to bring in part to Monza on September 8 and definitively to Singapore two weeks later. Two races to understand. If the team, as Stefano Domenicali has stated, can make that decisive leap forward in terms of performance, necessary to reach Red Bull Racing, close the season on the attack, and still believe in winning the World Championship. An improvement that can no longer be postponed because numerically, the comeback is still possible. Alonso is 46 points behind Vettel, but only if he wins several races from now on. The opportunity, starting from Monza, is there, but there is also an awareness that there won't be many other opportunities to scare the opponent. Alonso has promised a battle to the fans:
"I want to give people a smile, great satisfaction; they deserve it".
He guaranteed a race at the level of the one in Belgium, where the phenomenon that has often enchanted Ferrari fans was seen again, a driver capable of chasing, overtaking, and bowing only to that Martian Vettel on the Red Bull Racing missile. He assured maximum effort, but a car capable of supporting him is also needed, competitive in qualifying (even more than last Saturday, where it wasn't bad, and the mistake was made by the Spaniard) and aggressive in the race. Monza is a track where aerodynamics make less of a difference (and that's why Red Bull doesn't start with the usual advantage). Alonso must capitalize on it to the maximum, then repeat it at night in Singapore on September 24, another favorable hunting ground. He, a lover of numbers, was explicit:
"I don't give up because it's right to believe. Last year after Monza, I had a 41-point lead over Vettel, and you all know how it ended. He started winning races, one after the other, and won the World Championship. It's quick to recover if you have the right car".
For Alonso, it's the Ferrari from the beginning of the season.
"In the first five Grand Prix, we won two, and we were always able to fight for the podium. With a car like that, I'll play until the end".
That's why the effort is maximum. A rebirth halfway through, like in Belgium, is not enough; Ferrari must rise again completely. Otherwise, farewell to the title. And thoughts are already turning to the revolution (with the 6-cylinder engines) of 2014.