Hamilton believes he is now in a strong position to attack until the end of the season and is happy the grid penalty only resulted in the gap to Rosberg shrinking to nine points.
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But the uncharacteristically hot temperatures this weekend combined with high mandated tyre pressures have made conditions tricky for teams and drivers. “So I’m very grateful”. “It will not be easy”.
Hamilton’s 60-place grid penalty was mainly a result of taking three new power units, leaving him with more available than Rosberg is due to have this season, but the German does not see it as an advantage for his team-mate.
Heading into the Italian Grand Prix next weekend Hamilton remains in the lead on 232 points, Rosberg has 223 while Ricciardo is on 151 points. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen tried to fit his auto inside the two Ferraris of Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel on the first lap, taking all three away from the front of the pack.
“In front of all my fans, it’s such a great motivation”, Verstappen said. “It’s such a great motivation”.
“I was really of the mind that whatever happens, it is what is, and then for the next grand prix I have got the same amount of engines available, if not more than the others now, and I can fight in the last eight races”. The pole was there. “I can’t say right now what the plan is – the team will know already what’s best and we’ll discuss that later”. Vettel said, topping off his quick rant with an expletive.
“But it’s been hot all weekend”.
Cars are placed under parc ferme conditions after the session, which means teams are not allowed to make significant set-up alterations to the vehicle before the race without incurring a penalty.
“Thank you guys”, said Rosberg, while talking to his team on his slowdown lap. “Fair play to Lewis”.
The session was run in continuing sweltering conditions with an air temperature of 36 degrees and the track at 44 degrees – utterly unexpected by tyre suppliers Pirelli and numerous teams who made aggressive tyre selections in advance, expecting much cooler weather.
Ricciardo had started the Grand Prix from fifth and began slowly off the line, appearing to be content to sit back in the knowledge he was on longer run soft tyres, and even conceded an early second place to Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India. He had nowhere to go and shunted Raikkonen, who was sandwiched between team-mate Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), 4.
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Meanwhile, the Ferrari-Verstappen duel continued with Vettel overtaking the Dutchman. Daniel Ricciardo, in the second Red Bull, was sixth.
