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In Belgium, he finished third starting from the last position. For Monza, Lewis Hamilton is aiming directly for the top step of the podium.
"Last year went really well, and it would be fantastic to repeat that. This time, I won't have any penalties hanging over me, and I can't wait to race".
The British driver warns his rivals ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, where he aims to confirm the victory he achieved in 2015 and solidify his lead in the World Championship, where he is currently in first place with a 9-point advantage over his teammate, Nico Rosberg.
"Monza is a track where I've raced in many years of my career, a track that is impossible not to love. The track, the history, the atmosphere, they are unique. And then, I always have in my mind that podium, with a sea of fans on the main straight, being up there is one of the most incredible experiences that a sportsman can have".
Finally, the three-time World Champion reflects on his impressive comeback in Spa, where, starting from the last row, he finished on the third step of the podium:
"In fact, I managed the damage very well. It was a fabulous result for me and the team".
The Formula 1 Grand Prix of Italy remains at Monza. This is sworn unanimously by the leaders of Aci and the Lombardy Region.
"The renewal is done".
Says Angelo Sticchi Damiani, the president of Aci. The signature is missing, and that should be provided by Bernie Ecclestone. And as long as that is missing, given the character of the person, it is always better to use the conditional. So much so that on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, via the web, previews of the 2017 calendar were given, and Monza is still alongside Imola. But all this does not seem to worry Monza, which reveals that the agreement is for three years: FOM will receive 68.000.000 euros (15.000.000 from the Region).
"I find it legitimate that Imola has tried and tries to have a Grand Prix, but it is difficult to reach agreements with appeals. Imola has always been a plan B if plan A did not materialize. And the alternation of the Grand Prix would not make sense: it would displease two organizers instead of one. Finally: Aci's money is not state aid but Aci's money with the help of the Lombardy Region. I also remember that we asked for and obtained the authorization of the Government and Parliament to face these economically significant commitments. When we get to the signature, we can say that Ecclestone will also have made his choice".
The appeal to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court of Formula Imola is still pending: only in October will the final word be written to a story that has now lasted for over two years.
"I would be very surprised if an agreement on Monza is not reached".
Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula 1 boss, comments on the negotiation for the renewal of the contract with the Italian Grand Prix circuit, which is at risk of cancellation from next year. After the alarms of recent months, the partial opening comes just in the week leading up to the Grand Prix, with Kimi Raikkonen already vying for victory after finishing fifth in 2015.
"Monza is a nice place to go, a traditional circuit with a lot of history. I would like to win there, and this year, I hope to do better. It's completely different from other tracks; it's our home Grand Prix, and that makes it even more challenging for us".
Felipe Massa is at his last Italian Grand Prix. The Brazilian Williams driver has chosen his home race - being a former Ferrari driver - to announce his retirement from F1 at the end of the year:
"In recent months, I have thought a lot about my future and have made the decision to leave Formula 1 at the end of the season. Life presents us with many choices, and I believe it's time for me to step aside and do something different. Perhaps you'll see me behind the wheel of a racing car again, but at the moment, the only certainty I have is that I will have a lot of time to decide what to do in the future. I will take my time, just as I calmly decided to end my time in Formula 1".
In the farewell letter, Massa reflects on his career, starting from karting and ending with his entry into Formula 1:
"I remember my first victory in Istanbul in 2006, but the greatest joy of my career was the success in the Brazilian Grand Prix in the same year. Winning in São Paulo, my home, was a unique emotion. When you're a child dreaming of reaching F1, the goal seems almost unattainable, but my life has been fantastic and has given me more than I could have imagined".
Among the most beautiful moments were those with Ferrari:
"With the red team, I won many races and stood on the podium many times. I fought for the championship, and one point could have made me the champion. But I am still a happy and serene person".
Special thanks go to the current president of the FIA:
"There was a person who offered me the greatest and most important opportunity of my career: Jean Todt. He believed in me, opening the doors of Ferrari. Even today, he is my best friend".
The fact that Massa chose Monza to announce his retirement is not accidental:
"Ten years ago, another driver announced that he would leave, and he is the one who, more than anyone else, influenced my career, Michael Schumacher. But now I want to focus on my last 8 races, and I won't start thinking about retirement already. I will continue to do what I love, go out on the track, and push to the maximum".
Massa, who debuted in F1 in 2002 with Sauber, has amassed 244 Grand Prix races in his career, with 11 victories, 41 podiums, and 16 pole positions. His best result in a World Championship was in 2008 when he lost the title by just one point, finishing behind Lewis Hamilton. A late recovery by the Briton in the rain proved decisive.
"Massa's retirement? It's a big shame, but he chose it himself. We had a good relationship when we were in the same team. He went through difficult times in F1 because of the accident, but he has always been strong. He is a good guy, and I am convinced he made the right choice for himself, and I hope he can finish his career on a high note".
Said Kimi Raikkonen to comment on the day's news.
"I am quite confident; this is a unique track".
Sebastian Vettel shows confidence, speaking at a press conference at Monza to discuss the upcoming Italian Grand Prix:
"We will be back on the podium soon, but we will need a certain push from the fans. We are looking forward to this weekend. There are many fans supporting us, and it's a great pleasure for us. We expect a good weekend; in Spa, there was a good step forward, and we reacted well compared to previous races. This race means a lot to me, not only because I am a Ferrari driver and it's the home race, but also because it's the circuit where I won my first race, and you never forget the first victory".
The German recalls the success of 2008. However, the dream would be to replicate the success with Ferrari:
"In recent years, I have been fortunate enough to win a few more times, but after what I experienced last year standing on the podium as a Ferrari driver, winning on Sunday dressed in red would be a dream come true, and we are working hard to make it happen".
Renault's Danish driver, Kevin Magnussen, who was involved in a serious incident at the Belgian Grand Prix, has been given the green light by doctors to compete in the Italian Grand Prix. The French team announced this through their Twitter profile, posting a photo of the driver smiling and giving the thumbs up. On the eve of one of the most anticipated races of the season, with the Mercedes duel reaching its most dramatic point and Ferrari aiming for a home victory that could be a partial redemption, a wave of poisons and suspicions engulfs Formula 1. At the center of it all is, once again, the Grand Prix referee, the race director, 66-year-old Charlie Whiting. The accusation against him is harsh and surprising. It is made by the head of a team who understandably wishes to remain anonymous:
"For several months, he has decided to change professions; he wants to work for a racing team and has started interviewing with English teams".
If the accusation is proven, it would be a case of a referee on Friday seeking a job with the same teams he must officiate on the track on Saturday. The British race director has always been one of the most controversial figures in F1; an archetype of the manager for all seasons, Whiting has been Ecclestone's man (the owner and deus ex machina of the circus), then Mosley's man (former FIA president and a historic ally of Ecclestone), and now he is Todt's man (current FIA president and purported antagonist of Ecclestone). Over the years, he has concentrated increasingly greater power in his hands. His moment of maximum unpopularity was in 2009 when, accommodating a ridiculous interpretation of the rules proposed by Ross Brawn, he gifted the team bearing the same name - Brawn GP - their first and only World Championship in history. Brawn, the following year, sold the championship-winning team to Mercedes for $170.000.000, making a record profit of approximately $169.999.000: in 2008, thanks to Ecclestone's eternal intervention, he had bought it for a pound from Honda. (It is not known what Brawn did with all that money, although many still wonder today if it was perhaps shared with all those who in various ways contributed to that feat.) Returning to Whiting, the race director looking for a job has expressed his intention to speak with Raikkonen and Vettel. He wants to clarify the events at Spa, where Verstappen was allowed to play bumper cars against the red cars. Inevitably, many point out that the Dutchman races for the Anglo-Austrian Red Bull team, whose team principal, Christian Horner, had Bernie Ecclestone as the best man at his wedding. On a day of poison and suspicions, the retirement of Felipe Massa takes on a vaguely symbolic value: he too, albeit indirectly, a victim of the F1 of cheaters:
"The worst day of my career? It wasn't when I was about to die in 2009 in Hungary, but when I found out that in 2008, the World Championship was stolen from me with Piquet's fake accident in Singapore".
At the end of the trial of Max Verstappen held by the drivers during the usual driver briefing at the end of the second free practice session, the only true verdict issued is the condemnation of the race director, Charlie Whiting. Explicitly accused by the German press of being biased, Whiting did nothing but fuel suspicions by inventing a special procedure for the Dutch gem that Mateschitz bet on this year. He approaches Verstappen and issues a warning. Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, recounts:
"Before the second practice session, Charlie wanted to talk to Max. He showed him the videos from Spa and explained that a similar maneuver could earn him a black and white flag in the next race".
Official warning preceding the disqualification (black flag).
"Never before in F1 had something like this been seen; it's unclear whether it was a clumsy way of admitting a mistake, an unwanted F1 lesson, or just a blatant provocation".
Say those in the Ferrari box. However, not everyone in the paddock interprets Verstappen's behavior at Spa negatively, considering Ferrari's complaints excessive. Flavio Briatore says:
"Honestly, if I were Verstappen's manager, I would have congratulated him and even encouraged him to do it again".
Many share the same opinion as the former Renault boss, including some drivers. The most decisive in this regard is Fernando Alonso:
"I think Max respected the rules. On the straight, when he braked, it was very late, and perhaps he didn't realize where Kimi really was. So, everything was regular".
Alonso's support allows Max to stand firm:
"Don't ask me to change. I'm like Ibrahimovic. If I feel I have to attack, I attack, and it won't be because other drivers tell me to change that I will change. At Spa, Vettel and Kimi ruined my race in the first corner, and then I did everything not to let them pass; the judges didn't stop me: it means I was right".
A conclusion that would be acceptable if not for Whiting's warning, which at this point only risks causing confusion and fulfilling Kimi Raikkonen's prophecy, especially bothered by the retributive logic of Verstappen's behavior:
"They ruined my race, so I didn't let them pass. The truth is, if they don't stop him sooner or later, someone will get hurt".
Meanwhile, Mercedes positions itself ahead of everyone in the time rankings of the two free practice sessions, but Ferrari is not far behind. The internal duel between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton is resolved with the two drivers sharing the leadership, although the fastest of the day is the British driver with a time of 1'22"801 in the afternoon, just over 1.5 seconds faster than the lap his teammate made in the morning. Both use Supersoft tires, with which they will attack pole position on Saturday.
Both in the first and second practices, Ferrari performed well: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were the first pursuers of the two Mercedes, with the German driver standing 0.45 seconds behind Hamilton and 0.260 seconds behind Rosberg. Slightly slower (by less than a couple of tenths) was the Finn, who was faster than Vettel in the morning, a sign that the progress seen in Spa was not an isolated incident. Moreover, in front of their home audience, Ferrari does not want to disappoint, and for this reason, they have decided to use the last three available tokens, even though there is still a long way to go in the World Championship, to update the power unit and put both drivers in the best possible position to aim for the podium. Sebastian Vettel comments:
"Friday is not the most important day, but it's important that we've shown decent speed. We need to improve; the car has more potential than we've expressed, the feelings are good, but we have to prove it in every corner. The first impression is positive. The new engine? It's doing what we expected; on Fridays, we try different things, we'll see tomorrow and Sunday".
In qualifying, Ferrari could make a difference, but keep an eye on the usual Red Bull for the Grand Prix; in the afternoon, it approached the two Maranello cars, and it's not far off on race pace.
"There are more straights than in Spa, we knew it would be more challenging for us, that we would have difficulties, but it didn't go too badly".
It's the thought of Max Verstappen, the only one alongside the two Ferrari drivers to go below 1'24"0, and once again faster than Daniel Ricciardo. McLaren is on the rise, placing both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button in the top ten in the second session, while the Ferrari updates also benefit Haas, with Romain Grosjean setting the ninth time of the day. Looking to the future, during the Friday afternoon press conference, Mattia Binotto, the man behind the autarchic revolution wanted by Sergio Marchionne, tries to smile and says to the media:
"For the 2017 car, we are in a good position".
Then he pauses. Long. He looks up and sees in front of him, gathered in the press conference room at the Monza circuit, an army of journalists with perplexed faces. The truth is that no one believes it, no one really believes that the 2017 Ferrari is in a good position: too much chaos, too many changes, too many blind alleys taken at full speed. Everyone in the room is instead certain of the opposite, that the Mercedes is in a good position for the car of the next year. The Anglo-German team has all three things needed to win in Formula 1: money, organization, and planning. Mattia Binotto knows this perfectly well, and yet he has accepted the challenge, taking over the technical direction of the team hastily left by a giant like James Allison and cannot go back. He pauses again. Then he tries to explain:
"I've been at Ferrari for more than twenty years. I know everyone inside. I know there are many young engineers, full of talent and ability. People who just need to be valued. I am sure they will surprise us all. The technology of our cars has become very complicated, but I remain amazed at the speed with which they manage to update and be prepared".
Someone asks him if he wouldn't like to hire some brains from outside, maybe someone with more experience than the young but talented ones who haven't been able to produce a winning project for years. Binotto politely declines:
"No. We don't need anything we don't already have in the factory: look at the speed with which we closed the gap on the Mercedes engines. Well, I am sure that with the same capabilities and strengths, applying ourselves, we will be able to reach our opponents also on the rest of the car. You will see, we will fight for the championship, and you will be proud of us".
And simultaneously, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne, speaking of the present, admits:
"If Monza can save the season? Yes, it can, but the Germans (Mercedes, editor's note) are not easy to overcome, and then they have made significant improvements to the engine. We'll see in about an hour, we'll try. Let's see, I'm not saying anything, it will be tough, it's not easy".
The president also looks to the past to find the causes of a lackluster season:
"Three victories in 2015, we arrived perhaps a bit too optimistic in 2016, thinking that the car was there. In Australia, it seemed that we could do great things, but the others improved a lot during the season, and we stayed still. It was really time to shake up the team; we waited too long for the change of technical leadership: with Binotto, we are in good hands. He has created a great team of young people; let them work. We chose him because he is a great engineer, he did a great job on the Power Units in 2015 and 2016. He is also a person who manages processes very precisely, and this is a very delicate job: we have many engineers working on the car, we need to organize them, share very clear objectives as it didn't happen in the past".
The president of Ferrari and CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles emphasizes:
"Not much time has been lost: the car is fine, the new engine for 2017 is already partially on the test bench. We are working on improvements, and I have no doubt that the car will be ready".
On Saturday, September 3, 2016, Lewis Hamilton once again set the fastest time in the third free practice session. The British driver again outpaced his teammate, Nico Rosberg, by almost 0.4 seconds. However, Rosberg's fastest lap was hindered by Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, already in the midst of controversy after the Spa incident that forced both Ferraris into a challenging race, didn't give room to the German, thus ruining his fastest lap. The vice-world champion's radio complaint was concise:
"What the heck is he doing?"
It's a safe bet that if this had happened during qualifying and not during free practice, there would have been much worse consequences. Dutch driver Verstappen is already under the scrutiny of the FIA race director, Charlie Whiting, who verbally cautioned him for his somewhat aggressive driving. Sebastian Vettel, in third place, set a time almost a second slower than the World Champion but still broke the 1'23"0 barrier. During the session, Romain Grosjean spun at the Variante Ascari, ending up in the gravel and unable to return to the track, completing only four laps. Following this session, Pirelli allowed a reduction in the minimum tire inflation pressure. The inflation pressure for the front tires was set at 23 psi, reduced by 1 psi at the rear, which is now 20.5 psi. At the end of the practices, the gearbox on Romain Grosjean's Haas was replaced, resulting in a five-position grid penalty. Finally, on Saturday, even before the cars hit the track for qualifying, Sergio Marchionne, as if in a sign of surrender, certifies what everyone has known for a long time.
"We have failed our seasonal goal".
To be honest, Marchionne's assessment is even understated. Because the Ferrari, on a flawless day, without errors or mishaps, is still 0.8 seconds behind Mercedes. Ferrari has not only failed its seasonal goal (winning the World Championship) but has also shown an incredible amount of deficiencies, managerial, technical, and sporting.
The Marchionne treatment has not worked, and after two years of layoffs, revolutions, promises, and reshuffles, the Maranello team continues to proceed randomly. The latest news reveals that the president has made more than one (helicopter) visit to Dallara recently, seeking help in designing and producing some parts of the 2017 chassis. This move makes sense, as Dallara is one of the world's most respected constructors, but it contradicts the autarchic stance announced on August 2, 2016. Perhaps Mattia Binotto, the in-house engineer recently tasked by Sergio Marchionne with bringing some order to the Sporting Management, will succeed in his mission. However, trying to organize a crowd of engineers and technicians accustomed to anarchy is one thing, competing with teams like Mercedes or Red Bull that, year after year, having secured the best engineers in the field, plan and program every single decision, is another. For now, Binotto's work has not produced any results, and the performance in front of the home crowd painfully matched Marchionne's announced failure.
"Contacts with Dallara? Yes, there have been. We collaborate on many projects. We are thinking of reviving the Emilian motor valley to respond to the challenge posed by the English motor valley, that of Oxfordshire, where within a few kilometers are the factories of Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Williams, Renault, Force India, and Manor".
This is an extensive explanation that Maurizio Arrivabene, the team principal of Ferrari, provides regarding the contacts between the Maranello team and Dallara Automobili in July and August. Dallara Automobili is a gem of a company led by Giampaolo Dallara, a well-regarded builder of Indycar, Formula 3, GP2, GP3, and other formulas worldwide.
"The large English Formula 1 teams draw their talent from a pool of around 50.000 specialized professionals, whose careers develop within companies all located within a fifty-kilometer radius. In Italy, we have a very similar industrial situation with Maranello (Ferrari), Borgo Panigale (Ducati), Varano de Melegari (Dallara), and many other leading companies. However, in Italy, there are only 5.000 employees and little circulation of ideas. Together, we are trying to develop this situation".
Arrivabene's speech is straightforward, but apparently not complete. The contacts between Sergio Marchionne and Dallara between July and August also had a more specific topic: Formula 1, and in particular, the construction of the 2017 Ferrari F1. Marchionne took the initiative in July when he had already decided to part ways with the technical director, James Allison. The president took the helicopter and went to the headquarters near Parma, where he asked for assistance in developing the specific area of aerodynamics. The news was kept confidential because, from an image perspective, the idea of a Dallara-Ferrari partnership would be a disaster. However, Marchionne had no choice. Without the chief designer Nicholas Tombazis, who was dismissed in 2015, and without James Allison, that area - already a weak point for Ferrari - would soon be left unguarded. Indeed, today, only two men with some wind tunnel experience, Simone Resta and David Sanchez (Tombazis' second lines), are overseeing it. To assist them, Marchionne sent the highly esteemed Enrico Cardile, who, however, lacks specific experience and was thrust from the production side into a sector where engineers from aerospace or aeronautical backgrounds usually arrive. For this reason, after a polite outburst from the new technical director, Mattia Binotto, Marchionne decided to rely on Dallara, whose commitment is still to be defined. Unfortunately, 2017 is approaching rapidly. A few hours later, in the initial phase of the qualifying session, the challenge between the two Mercedes drivers immediately heats up, with Lewis Hamilton setting a time below 1’22”0 and leading Nico Rosberg by almost 0.7 seconds. Esteban Ocon cannot participate in the session due to an electrical problem with his car. In the final phase of Q3, there is a comeback for the two Haas drivers among the times that secure passage to the second phase, while the two Renault drivers, those from Sauber, Daniil Kvyat, and Ocon, without times, are eliminated. In Q2, the two Mercedes drivers immediately set an unreachable time for the other drivers.
However, Lewis Hamilton damages the right front tire in his attempt, which could penalize him at the start of the race since the set of tires with which the Q2 time is achieved is the one the British driver will have to use at the beginning of the race. For this reason, Hamilton returns to the track in the final phase of the session to try to improve the time with a different set of tires, without success. The two Mercedes drivers set the reference time with Soft compound tires, unlike the other drivers who use Supersoft tires. In the last moments of the session, the two Force India drivers improve their times, thus eliminating Felipe Massa. Alongside the Brazilian, Romain Grosjean, the two McLarens, Pascal Wehrlein, and Carlos Sainz Jr. do not make it to Q3. For the first time, a Haas driver, Esteban Gutiérrez, enters the final phase of qualifying. In Q3, once again, Lewis Hamilton is faster than Nico Rosberg in his first attempt. Behind them are the two Ferrari drivers, followed by Valtteri Bottas and the two Red Bull Racing drivers. Gutiérrez compromises his fast lap by going off at the Seconda di Lesmo. With the second attempt, Nico Rosberg does not improve, and thus Lewis Hamilton secures his seventh pole position of the season. For the World Champion, it is also the fifth pole start at the Italian circuit in F1. The second row is confirmed for Ferrari, while Daniel Ricciardo remains fifth, 0.001 seconds behind Valtteri Bottas.
"I am very happy today. I have just been informed that I have equalled the record of five poles at Monza held by Senna and Fangio, and I am incredibly proud to be there, alongside these two incredible drivers. It's a thought I had in the back of my mind, but I never thought I could achieve it. Today's emotion is very strong, and the last lap was truly incredible".
This is Lewis Hamilton commenting on his performance during the qualifying session of the Italian Grand Prix in a press conference.
"That Italian track is beautiful with a fantastic crowd, and then my team is truly phenomenal. I'm really lucky to be able to drive this car and represent this team. Today, we achieved perfection".
Sergio Marchionne comments on the second row secured in qualifying by the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.
"It went quite well; tomorrow we'll give it a shot. For the podium? We'll see. I'll be there tomorrow, obviously. A judgment on Vettel and Raikkonen? Fantastic, they were motivated and on point. We need to give them that little piece of the car that's missing, not much. Let us work".
Sebastian Vettel dreams of a triumph at home, despite the significant gap with the Mercedes:
"I'm not entirely satisfied because the gap to those ahead is quite large. The Mercedes are in a league of their own, but who knows what will happen tomorrow".
The support of the crowd could be crucial for achieving the feat:
"We have great support here in Monza; every lap you take, everyone stands up, and it's beautiful to see these flags, these fans. We hope to give something back to them tomorrow".
Kimi Raikkonen adds, starting from the fourth position in the Italian Grand Prix, behind his teammate:
"We achieved the best result possible at the moment. The goal would be to go further, but for now, this second row is good for us. Starting well tomorrow would be important: the race will be very long, and there will be different strategies, with tires that can make a difference. Promise something to the fans? Of course, we'll try to do our best. Many things can happen on the race pace: we have to stay up there and hope for some tactical mistakes from our opponents".
On Sunday, September 4, 2016, at the start of the Italian Grand Prix, pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton had a bad start, being passed by Nico Rosberg, the two Ferrari drivers, Valtteri Bottas, and Daniel Ricciardo. Vettel tried to attack Rosberg at the first chicane, but the Mercedes driver resisted and took the lead. On the second lap, the Renault of Palmer and the Sauber of Nasr collided, forcing both drivers to retire, with the Brazilian later receiving a 10-second penalty. Meanwhile, Hamilton managed to recover several positions in a few laps. On the second lap, he passed Ricciardo at the Variante della Roggia, and after a long battle, on the tenth lap, he also passed Bottas. During laps 15 and 16, the two Ferrari drivers pitted (with a slight imperfection in Sebastian Vettel's pit stop), allowing Hamilton to move up to second place. Behind the Maranello cars, which were third and fourth, Romain Grosjean followed, but he was passed by Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo. On lap 24, Nico Rosberg stopped at the pit to put on Medium tires, opting not to make any further stops until the end of the race. Lewis Hamilton followed the same strategy, pitting on lap 25. The standings remained unchanged, with the two Mercedes leading the two Ferraris. Vettel, Raikkonen, and Bottas made their second pit stops between laps 30 and 34. The Williams driver opted for Soft tires, like Sebastian Vettel, while Kimi Raikkonen chose Medium tires.
Ricciardo, who passed Bottas after the latter's pit stop, stopped on lap 37 and switched to Supersoft tires. The Australian returned to the track behind the Finnish driver. On lap 47, Ricciardo passed Bottas at the first chicane and secured fifth place. Later, on lap 48, the other Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen, also gained a position (seventh place), passing Sergio Perez at the Roggia. Nico Rosberg won the Italian Grand Prix for the first time in his career, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Felipe Massa, and Nico Hulkenberg. Mercedes dealt a blow to the Ferrari fans: the Anglo-German cars have always been unbeatable for the Ferraris. And not even Hamilton's start (from pole to sixth after the first corner) gave hope to Vettel and Raikkonen, who ultimately had to settle for third and fourth place. When we talk about a blow, there's a reason: in the last three years at Monza, there hasn't been a lap where Mercedes hasn't been at the front of the race. In short, what happened today also happened in the two previous years. An absolute dominance that finds its deepest explanation in Monza's famous nickname, the temple of speed: the Mercedes are extremely fast. Yet there is some glimmer - and reason for joy - for Ferrari fans: the Red Bulls were soundly beaten today, and towards the end of the race, the Maranello cars unequivocally showed great race pace. Behind Vettel and Raikkonen, in fifth place, was the Red Bull of Ricciardo, followed by Bottas (Williams), Verstappen (Red Bull), Perez (Force India), Massa (Williams), and Hulkenberg (Force India). And then, of course, there's the fact that Vettel returns to the podium after five races. Also, a reason to celebrate. Of course, given the mess we make for a third place, one wonders what would happen if Ferrari were to win at Monza again.
"If I am satisfied? If the answer is straightforward, I say no, but if I think about where we started, I say yes".
This is the comment from Sergio Marchionne, Ferrari's president, after finishing third at Monza.
"The team was ready to win here, but Mercedes had an almost impeccable race. We gave our best; I hoped for more after the start, but having said that, we need to finish the race. The team is there, we have everything; the only gap now is aerodynamic. But if I think about how I was at the beginning of the season, I feel better now, but we need to finish it well".
Sebastian Vettel adds:
"It's incredible; this is the best podium in the world, and at Ferrari, we have the greatest fans in the world. We are trying to fight with Mercedes; we are working hard, but they are doing a fantastic job, and we have to show respect and congratulate them for what they have achieved in recent years. But Ferrari will surely react; I can't promise victories, but I am sure that sooner or later, we will succeed. Keep believing in us; we believe in ourselves, and we will definitely make it. Thank you very much; we are Ferrari".
Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen concludes:
"The start was decent, but after that, we could only follow the Mercedes, which we knew were very strong. Our car was good, but this is the maximum we could do today, and so it's okay, even though we would like Ferrari to always be at the top. We don't know what will happen in the future, but today we were closer to the goal than we could have thought. We made the right choice for the race strategy and tires, and in the end, we were not kilometers away from them, and that's why I think we are doing the right things".
The Finn talks about a contact with Marchionne at the end of the race:
"We spoke, but nothing new emerged. We are not happy with the current position, but he has confidence in all of us, and this makes the working environment more united".
On the other hand, Hamilton doesn't feel like celebrating today. Not only did he fail to achieve the third consecutive victory at Monza, but he now sees Rosberg rise to 248 points in the standings, shortening the gap to the first position to 2 points.
"I want to thank this incredible crowd; it's the best crowd of the year. There's nothing better. The start wasn't great, but it was a great day for Mercedes, and I am proud to be a part of it. There are only 2 points between me and Rosberg? Yes, I don't know if it's fantastic for the fans because surely they would like to see Ferrari involved in the fight too, but between the two of us, there will be a beautiful battle".
The red sea under the podium cannot whistle this time. It would have liked to ripple in delirium, scream its joy for a Sebastian Vettel triumph, but it struggles to be disappointed because it faces a strange enemy, a driver who feels half Italian, studied in Milan, and speaks Italian fluently. Nico Rosberg, the non-enemy, much closer to the tricolor than the world citizen Lewis Hamilton, knows how to position himself in front of all those people who have been waiting for a red success for years. He plays in advance, as he did on the track, with a blessed start, able to resist the assault of Vettel and Raikkonen and to deceive the rival in Mercedes. He embarks on a charm offensive, earns affection, and demonstrates that the craftsman, with his second consecutive victory after Spa, good but not sublime talent and a lot of stubbornness, is currently much more in form than the artist Hamilton, the already announced four-time World Champion, almost always superior but unable, in a nasty quarrel with the clutch, to start the expected dominance, with a horrible start that crushes good intentions. Hamilton is stationary; the moment is fatal; the sixth place at the first corner will only become second at the finish, in a vain comeback. Rosberg, on the other hand, has the silver vividly on him, is doing everything to reopen the World Championship (a successful feat, he is only 2 points behind the rival with seven races still on the calendar), claims to want to play every Grand Prix like a final, and proves it even after the race, in front of the people, the 100.000 fans present in Monza who agonize for Ferrari but know how to recognize sympathies and heroes. He is interviewed in English, as the protocol requires, but he doesn't care about certain rigidities; he has to win over the people.
The request for permission in front of the Irishman Eddie Jordan, former team owner, is only hinted at; his Italian flows smoothly.
"It's a special victory for me, in front of fantastic fans. You're thrilling me, just as much as I enjoyed myself on the track".
He had never won at Monza before, and breaking the spell helps him dream, especially since the first time would also mean the world championship title. Like a rock star, he wants the right accompaniment to his euphoria and finds the perfect key with the famous po po po from French and world champion memory. The song needed is Seven Nation Army, that chorus that even the authors, The White Stripes, before the 2006 World Cup in France, couldn't have imagined would become so famous. Everyone sings it under the stage; the triumph of an Italian medium can sweeten the disappointment for Ferrari's yet another missed feat, and he rides the wave of that red sea:
"I dreamed of imposing myself here; it's a great moment in my career, too bad Vettel and Raikkonen didn't beat Hamilton. The celebration would have been even bigger".
Immersing himself well in the psychological warfare he seeks to engage with his more savvy teammate. While Hamilton is upset about the start:
"I don't know if it's my fault; I want explanations from the engineers. Something is wrong with my clutch".
Rosberg delivers the blow:
"Now it's all manual; the start is more complicated. It depends only on the driver; it takes skill and sensitivity".
What I have seems to say to an increasingly furious Hamilton. And facing a Vettel trying to apologize to the red people on the podium:
"We have the best fans in the world; your love is unshakeable. Hold on, have faith. We are Ferrari, and we will come back to win".
Probably in another era of F1, not in this one dominated by Mercedes, which at Monza saw some signs of the curtain falling. More than Button and Massa's retirements, a tweet from former World Champion Damon Hill makes the news:
"It's Ecclestone's last Grand Prix".
It's not true; he will stay until Abu Dhabi, but the sale of the rich commercial part to an American giant is expected in days. In fact, after months of negotiations, the sale of Formula 1 is reportedly nearing completion. Liberty Media's sale by John Malone for $8.5 billion could be announced as early as Tuesday, September 6, 2016. Bernie Ecclestone himself confirmed the agreement, on the sidelines of the Italian Grand Prix. The sale will be made by Cvc, the majority shareholder of Delta Topco, the financial holding that collects revenues from F1's commercial sales. Sales managed by Formula One Management (FOM), Ecclestone's company, who would continue to hold - personally - 5% of F1's commercial rights. Cvc invested in F1 in 2006 but has long been selling capital shares to American funds like Waddell&Read, BlackRock, and the Norwegian sovereign fund. Despite being one of the most media-covered sports globally, F1 has entered a profound crisis since 2014 due to a decline in audience interest, excessive rules, and the resulting drop in viewership. According to insiders, if the deal goes through, there would be a radical change in the relationship between media companies and motorsport TV rights holders. Malone's move - returning after an initial offer in 2014 - would be a significant blow to rival Rupert Murdoch, who in 2011 also attempted to take over F1 without success, with the support of the Agnelli family's Exor. Back then, Bernie Ecclestone had said that having a media guru in charge of the circuit wasn't a good idea. A turn of events that troubles Ferrari. With Ecclestone, as a historic team, they had a privileged relationship in terms of money and politics (the right of veto). Will the new owners be all the same?