Assessment – Ferrari recovers 10 points but remains unconvinced

The feelings at Ferrari after this Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix must be mixed. First, dismay with Kimi Räikkönen’s retirement, who was poised for victory, followed by joy with Felipe Massa still securing a podium finish. Then, restraint mixed with great inner satisfaction when the Brazilian is awarded the victory.

In short, all of this thanks to a Belgian circuit that remains legendary year after year due to the twists and turns that occur there…

Felipe Massa – 1st:

« It was a very strange race with the beginning and the end taking place in rather difficult conditions. Kimi Räikkönen attacked from the start while I remained more cautious. From there, I realized it would be difficult to pass the two drivers in front of me even if the lap times were quite similar. I tried to manage the situation, especially towards the end. »

« When it started to rain, the gap with my closest pursuers was comfortable, and I preferred not to take any risks, especially seeing what was happening in front of me. Today, the car was not perfectly balanced. »

Kimi Räikkönen – Retirement:

« I came here to win and I was almost there. In the end, the conditions were very critical and unfortunately I went wide when I tried to get back on track and ended my race in the wall. The car was set up to succeed. »

« I made a good start and managed to get ahead of Felipe Massa and overtook Hamilton at the beginning of the second lap. With the softest tires, I was running at a good pace while the second set of tires was more challenging. »

The arrival of the rain did not help me. Under these conditions, if you are in the lead, you have to be the most cautious because you don’t know what grip you will find at the end of the straight. That’s how Hamilton managed to regain the advantage over me. This is the second race in a row where I haven’t scored any points. It’s clear that the situation in the championship is not positive for me, but I’m not one to give up easily.

Stefano Domenicali – Team Principal:

« I have often said that the race only ends when the official results are published, and this was the case this weekend. As usual, Ferrari makes no comment on sporting decisions. After the race, we were called by the stewards to explain our position. »

« We are very disappointed for Kimi Räikkönen, who had a great race and deserved this victory. This result is obviously very important for the constructors’ championship. Now, we must remain focused and prepare as best as possible for the upcoming races. In a few days, we will be at Monza for our home race in front of our fans. We will also need their support at this crucial point in the season. »