Vettel, the quiet strength

The prancing horse lands in force on its home turf. The back-to-back Spa-Monza gives Scuderia Ferrari a real chance. A chance to confirm the quality of the innovations glimpsed on the Belgian track.

The necessity to capitalize

And for good reason! On a high-speed track, the SF70H claimed a front row and a second place, driven by Sebastian Vettel. A surprisingly relaxed driver when speaking about his chances of success.

« That wasn’t even necessary (talking about the improvements)! We have always had hope for successes or big points. But at Spa-Francorchamps, the speed was real, which is positive. The progress observed in the wind tunnel was confirmed on the track. »

The progression is indeed as impressive as it is linear. The Ferrari engine is thus at a speed level nearly similar to the Mercedes unit, as evidenced by the latest V-Max recorded seven days ago. However, caution! After the rollercoaster of the Ardennes, the wings will be disengaged to the maximum on the fastest track on the calendar.

The layout configuration is more suited to Mercedes, admitted the ex-Red Bull driver with clarity. But the performance we achieved last week gives hope.

Pressure? Not yet!

The story, in any case, looks the German driver in the eyes. For the first time since the 2012 season, a Ferrari driver leads the championship upon arriving at Monza. But the four-time world champion doesn’t care about that. His strategy remains quite simplistic. If the upcoming race offers a repeat of Spa, he’ll race for victory, especially in front of the Tifosi.

« Of course! » he first admitted with a smile. « Obviously, we’re racing for the win. At Spa, I tried everything I could but got stuck behind Lewis. From my driver’s perspective, it was intense! We learned things from that. And this track offers overtaking opportunities… but we’ll see where we stand this weekend! »

In his team, Vettel can rely on his teammate. Kimi Räikkönen is still competitive but lagging behind in the overall standings, 92 points from the lead. But be careful, do not yet talk to driver number 5 about possible team orders. The main party involved does not see things this way, even as Niki Lauda recently admitted the possibility that Bottas will now settle for a number 2 status, to favor a hypothetical Hamilton title.

« I read that Kimi supposedly protected me during the race in Hungary. Talk to him about it, he will be very clear. If he had had the opportunity to pass me, he would have done it. We obviously run primarily for the team. I don’t know how other teams do it, but on our side, we race flat-out and then see what happens. »

A new cautious response overall for the championship leader. Throughout the press conference, Sebastian Vettel took no risks, especially regarding any comment on the Mercedes controversy, which skillfully circumvents the new oil combustion regulations.

But the German driver couldn’t evade all the topics. Emotions take over on a special track for Scuderia Ferrari, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary with great fanfare.

« We will see tomorrow how many people will be present. For now, the track is very calm, but there are already a lot of flags! What is certain is that being part of this team in this race is something very special. »

Autograph session in red #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/wPupXaZBNG

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) August 31, 2017

A romance with the temple of speed

And finally, impossible to escape it. Monza is indeed the place where it all began for a driver who has now won 46 times.

« This track is an exceptional place for me. It was a few years ago already (nine years exactly), but it is still moving. We also had a Ferrari engine. The weekend as a whole was magical. I remembered it this morning while walking the track… »

A rather romantic conclusion, in a world that doesn’t seem to have that appearance. For the championship, for the Tifosi, for the septuagenarian Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel cannot disappoint in Italy!

From our special correspondent in Monza