Last year Ferrari took victory in Hungary. This year the Prancing Horse had to make do with fourth and sixth, with both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen held at bay by Red Bulls - the latter in slightly controversial circumstances. So what did team principal Maurizio Arrivabene make of the team’s performance in Budapest, and the growing threat to his team from behind? Read on to find out…
Q: Maurizio, what’s your opinion about the Kimi (Raikkonen) and Max (Verstappen) battle?
Maurizio Arrivabene: Ha, now that the race is over I am all calm! During the battle I was going ballistic on the pit wall! (laughs) The rules are clear that you can change the side one time – make one move – but we believe that he has made two. We were told that they will look very carefully at the images. So let’s see. But due to this situation we need to win the races on the track – you can’t win races with paper! Is that clear to everybody?
Q: The first half of the season is over – and Ferrari have come under huge pressure from Red Bull Racing. What’s the plan for the second half? Still trying to attack Mercedes or defending against Red Bull?
MA: From my side it is completely clear: you have to look ahead and not behind. But in the end we must not get distracted by what is going on around us.
Q: When you look to the race today: how satisfied were you with your pace? Your strategy didn’t seem to work…
MA: I will give you my job next time! Believe me you will come to me for rescue! (laughs) And coming back to the pace: it was fantastic and confirmed by the fastest lap of Kimi. But of course we can’t be happy if we stay off the podium not on it.
Maurizio Arrivabene (ITA) Ferrari Team Principal at Formula One World Championship, Rd11, Practice, Hungaroring, Hungary, Friday 22 July 2016.
We can’t be happy if we stay off the podium
Maurizio Arrivabene on Ferrari's performance in Hungary
Q: So are you surprised about the job Kimi has done lately?
MA: Why should I be? It’s not for nothing he is the last champion Ferrari has had. So he deserved his confirmation big time.
Q: Lately the rumour mill is again working when it comes to Ferrari: James Allison is leaving, Sebastian (Vettel) is no longer happy at Ferrari – and so on. Sebastian is blaming the media for all these irritations. What about you?
MA: That is the ‘charm’ of Ferrari! Some weeks ago the rumours were on Kimi, then on Allison, then on Seb. The good news is: nobody would write about something boring – so we must be considered super interesting!
Q: You just said that nobody wants to win races ‘on paper’. But right now there are so many things only on paper – whether it is yellow flags or one move or not one move. Do you think it is necessary to clean up some rules?
MA: Yes, we have to clean up and make rules very clear and simple. All we want is racing and not staring at all kinds of paper.
