Flawless Ferrari's perfect season

13 April 2012

They were sandbagging the banks of the Danube yesterday to protect Budapest from the floods ...but nothing could be done to hold back the scarlet tide in Formula One.

A clean sweep by Ferrari's drivers in the Hungarian Grand Prix secured the constructors' championship for the Italian grandees of motor racing.

This time Brazilian Rubens Barrichello had the privilege of winning, as their world title holder, Michael Schumacher, contented himself with second place in a formation display of mechanical excellence.

Ferrari were so dominant that Schumacher admitted he was in danger of dozing off towards the end - and, no doubt, he would have emulated many millions of armchair aficionados.

But he, at least, had the chance to blast away his boredom with a scintillating 1min 16.207sec fastest lap, saying: 'I had to do something to wake-up myself and this seemed a good idea.'

Schumacher wasn't being smart . . . just honest.

Ferrari are, currently, on a different level to the rest - and it was graphically illustrated on this occasion with thirdplaced Ralf Schumacher (Williams-BMW), the McLaren-Mercedes of Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard and Giancarlo Fisichella (Jordan) well beaten for the remainder of the season.

Barrichello's second win of the season was cheered loudest by the hordes of Ferrari fans as they remembered the outrage of Austria when he was ordered to surrender his lead to Schumacher virtually at the chequered flag.

No danger of that happening this time, even though the German ace was chasing a milestone 10th victory in a season.

He has no worries. It is as inevitable as night following day that yet another record will fall to Herr Schumacher given the team's current stranglehold. They lapped so many of their rivals, the first being young English rookie Anthony Davidson making his race debut for Minardi.

The 23- year- old from Hemel Hempstead is a welcome addition to the ranks, not merely for his potential, but his quick-wittedness.

He said: 'When they came up behind me, it was like being in a Fiat Panda on the motorway chased by . . . well, Ferraris.

'I felt I had to move out of the way and say, sorry, sorry, sorry. It wasn't particularly nice. But I truly loved the race experience and enjoyed every moment of my first grand prix. It was definitely a lot harder than it looks on television.

'I also feel a bit disappointed to have let the team down by going off (in the 61st lap). I dearly wanted to finish but I will be better at Spa in the next race.'

His Minardi bosses should not mind him inadvertently mocking their car.

The youngster is a talent. He set the 14th fastest lap of the race - quicker than team-mate Mark Webber, quicker than both Toyotas and even his long-time rival Jenson Button (Renault), who was in fifth place when he spun off early in the race.

Button said: 'I put the right rear wheel on the kerb as I was braking for a corner. It was simply my mistake.'

There was an early battle between Montoya and Raikkonen, monitored from behind by Coulthard.

The young Finn got the better of the Colombian who then went off the track, causing problems to his car.

Coulthard said: 'It was erratic driving by Montoya. Kimi pulled off a fantastic manoeuvre.'

Indeed he did. In Raikkonen, Coulthard has a team-mate who will give him headaches in the future.

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David Coulthard

Flawless Ferrari's perfect season

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