Vettel and Raikkonen, two champions in the Hungarian chaos

“Merci Jules, this victoria is for you” so Sebastian Vettel on the finish line of the Hungaroring, in a radio message that moved the entire F1 environment, for the sweetness of the dedication in a moment of great joy, testifying to how the boy has a head and a heart and not just a very heavy foot, which is making Ferrari's fortunes.

A PHOENIX FORMAT FERRARI The one admired in Hungary, especially on Sunday, was a transformed, lively, perfect SF15-T kart track Magyar, balanced between the curves and in the management of the Pirelli tyres. Proof of the fact that the Maranello car, when it is supported by the compounds and manages to make them work as they should, is a tough opponent even for Mercedes, managing to keep a race pace on par if not even superior. A good car therefore - and the team principal is right to no longer want to hear comparisons with the disastrous 2014 - but a mechanics that is too dependent on external factors, such as tire degradation and environmental temperatures, which instead should have less impact and be "governed". The real leap in quality for Ferrrari will have to be this: being able to become fast at any temperature and even with the hardest tyres.

TWO GREAT RIDERS If the car brings joys and sorrows, Budapest gave us a Ferrari couple in their prime, never so beautiful to look at and in such good shape. The start in unison of the two Cavallino standard-bearers is already one for the history books, for the rapacity and skill with which they outclassed the defenseless Mercedes drivers, passing them in a manner as sudden as it was surgical. Seb was perfect to take the first position by starting in an exemplary way from third place, Kimi's start was even more incisive, capable of climbing into second position by starting from the third row and after a nice melee in the first corners with Rosberg.

Both Ferrari drivers then did what is most suited to their driving style, that is, running away at an infernal pace. Suffice it to say that Rosberg, who still has the W06 under his seat, was more than twenty seconds behind before the safety car came in, which with that car and on a track like that is comparable to the distances between the planets of Interstellar. Vettel once again demonstrated his technical and mental strength in Budapest. The little German, increasingly the driving force behind the Red team, never really seemed to be in difficulty, not even when he had Rosberg and Ricciardo on his tail at the restart. A temper and a concentration of Schumacherian memory, for a driver who was as fast in the car as he was a team man outside. Suffice it to say that after free practice he is the last to leave the circuit after having said goodbye to all the mechanics one by one. A behavior that is pure breath of positivity and enthusiasm, without falling into inflated and now boring comparisons with the past. The second victory of the season is a masterpiece of skill and character.

Raikkonen for his part proved to be competitive for the second consecutive race and in Hungary he did what we would always like to see him do, that is to be Vettel's shadow, if not faster in some phases. The Finn rode at the top all weekend; in qualifying he paid for the time lost in the third free practice, while in the race...well he served a bill of exchange Fortuna (in the Latin sense of the term) which now haunts him, but – despite his retirement due to ERS problems – he earned the applause of the entire Ferrari garage, with Marchionne and Arrivabene in the lead. The renewal is no longer a faint hope, especially with that Bottas who costs in proportion to how much he disappoints: too much.

HAMILTON AND ROSBERG DISAPPOINT Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's race was almost indecipherable and inexplicable. The Englishman just doesn't manage to have that cannibal continuity that one would expect from his enormous talent, too often remaining a prisoner of the fragility of his character. When things don't go right, Hamilton seems to lose his bearings, starting to pile up one mistake after another. In Hungary there was a modest performance, with off-track incidents and rear-end collisions, which goes hand in hand with the "distractions" of Austria. Not to mention the "panic" in Monte Carlo.

Hamilton will most likely win this world championship, but days like this risk fueling even more rumors of a driver who is too distracted by worldly life. Maybe it would help him to work more time on himself and in the factory and spend less time spending money on tattoos. Rosberg, on the other hand, made sloth prevail over “hunger”; the German seemed almost content with gaining points on Lewis, managing a catch-up race behind the Ferraris. An overly submissive, passive attitude, which in the end cost him a lot. Had he been more lively from the start, perhaps he wouldn't have put himself in a position to duel wheel to wheel with a "dangerous" driver like Ricciardo.

RED BULL OK, IS THERE ANY GOOD IN THE MP4-30? On a track where aerodynamics mattered more than the engine, we saw - not even on purpose - a Red Bull on the ball and an unwatchable Williams. Daniel Ricciardo raced with a knife between his teeth, a little too impetuously, which prevented him from playing for the victory. Very good Daniil Kvyat, a real surprise in these last races. The very young Russian (born in 1994!) is growing rapidly and yesterday's second place, after a race conditioned by a very expensive strategy (early pit stop and hard tires in the central section of the race), is a result that should not be underestimated .

He reappears in the area that is also his responsibility McLaren, with a monstrous Fernando Alonso in knowing how to seize opportunities on the fly. The Asturian confirmed himself as a hammer in the race, managing to grab an almost extraordinary fifth place. But Jenson Button's points confirm that the Woking single-seater is not a completely wrong project, the chassis designed by Prodromou is better than it seems, it's all about making the Honda PU run properly.

What the eventful Hungarian GP leaves behind can be summed up in two images: the circle of pilots gathered in the minute of silence to honor the memory of Jules Bianchi, and the departure of the red furies. Ferrari pulls the plug with the certainty, not least, of having two great drivers. In the confusion of the Hungarian duels, the Ferrari pair showed their strength, standing out for their driving quality and coolness (just think of Kimi's stoicism as he struggled with the drop in power). And if it is true that a team that wins (and convinces) cannot be changed...

Antonino Rendina

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