Sunday: A magnificent day for Ferrari

Fernando Alonso – Winner

« What a wonderful surprise! The team did an incredible job and I dedicate this victory to everyone in Maranello and at the track whose work allowed Felipe and me to drive such a great car. This victory is very special because it comes at a legendary circuit like Silverstone, in front of a crowd so passionate about motorsport.

The characteristics of the track did not really suit our car, but clearly, the improvements we made here were a great help.

At the beginning, it wasn’t easy because there were very wet portions and others that were half dry. There were some tricky moments, like when Hamilton overtook me, but we stayed very calm the whole time, convinced that something would come out of it. I only realized I could win when I got back on track after the last stop. Clearly, the problems Vettel encountered during his stop helped us, as did the fact that Hamilton kept the two Red Bulls behind him for a long time, although I must say that we were very strong on the dry track.

Earlier today, I had the opportunity to drive the 375 F1 [editor’s note: which José Froilan Gonzalez drove to victory in 1951] and then, a few hours later, to win the same race 60 years later. In our team, there are children of people who worked for the Scuderia at the time, and they have the same love and passion for racing as their elders.

We are heading to Germany in high spirits and with more confidence. The Red Bull is still the strongest car, but the improvements we have introduced are working well. When we were struggling at the beginning of the season, we didn’t let ourselves get discouraged; instead, we reacted: now we are reaping the rewards.

Felipe Massa – 5th

« Above all, I want to congratulate Fernando who had a great race to give Ferrari a very important victory.

60 years ago, Gonzalez won Ferrari’s first F1 Grand Prix and today history repeats itself. I think we made a step forward this weekend in terms of performance, both in qualifying and in the race.

It’s true that my pace wasn’t great today, but it might have something to do with the fact that my floor was damaged after I hit something at turn 6, probably a part from another car. In terms of strategy, maybe we could have extended the second stint a bit more, but the team didn’t want me to finish the race with overly worn tires. In the end, I caught up to Hamilton when he was struggling, but when I was behind him, he defended, and I came very close to overtaking him.

We must continue to push the development of the car, there are many races left, and improving the car means we can feel more confident for the second half of the season.

Stefano Domenicali – Team Principal

Today is a magnificent day for Ferrari. Winning on such a famous circuit as Silverstone, with its rich and fascinating history, in front of an extraordinary crowd, brings great satisfaction. This result has been a long time coming but is definitely not due to miracles. We reacted after a very difficult start to the season, working very hard with a lot of determination, all of us, including those who no longer work with us [cf. Aldo Costa]. We were competitive all weekend and in all conditions, which confirms that we have gone in the right direction.

Congratulations to Fernando who delivered an extraordinary performance throughout the weekend and to Felipe who fought tooth and nail until the last lap.

The engineers say that if you are quick on this track, then you can be competitive on many other circuits among those that remain to be raced. I really hope that’s the case. We don’t want to make the slightest calculation concerning the championship; we must take the races as they come, with the same approach.

Tonight we can enjoy ourselves, but from tomorrow we will turn our attention towards the German Grand Prix.