Brawn praises Bridgestone
Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn has hailed Bridgestone for its new tyres after Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello locked-out the front row in Hungary
This time last year Ferrari and Bridgestone were left red-faced after Schumacher was overtaken by race winner Fernando Alonso. In a bid to exorcise the demons from last year, the Japanese manufacturer pulled out all the stops to produce a competitive tyre this weekend, and Brawn is happy that it has achieved just that.
"Both drivers worked really effectively with their engineers to get their cars well balance," Brawn said of Saturday's qualifying session. "The F2004 is a very good car but much of the credit for this result must go to the new Bridgestone tyres, which worked very well and constitute a good step forward. Having struggled at this track last year, today's result is something of a reward."
Schumacher acknowledged that today's result was a significant step forward from last year, but the German admitted that Sunday's race will still be a tough challenge.
"Compared to last year it's significantly better. We have worked very hard for this result and gave a big push in testing at Jerez, where it was very hot and a great preparation for here. That's why we are here - a great effort from everybody.
"The new Bridgestone tyre possibly gave us an advantage and along with Shell, they have given us a big push, helping us to pick up performance.
"Even though it is cooler than usual here, tomorrow will be a tough race as this track requires a lot of work at the wheel, the cars slide a lot and the bumps make it unpredictable. It is hard work, but that is what we train for and I am looking forward to it. The fact that we can win the Constructors' title tomorrow will have no affect on the way we tackle this race."
The squandered potential of a 70s F1 underdog
A podium finisher in its first outing but then never again, the BRM P201 was a classic case of an opportunity squandered by disorganisation and complacency, says STUART CODLING
The other notable Monza escape that F1 should learn from
OPINION: The headlines were dominated by the Italian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who had the halo to thank for avoiding potentially serious injury. But two days earlier, Formula 1 had a lucky escape with a Monza pitlane incident that could also have had grave consequences
How Monza only added more questions to F1's sprint race conundrum
With two sprint races under its belt, Formula 1 must now consider its options for them going forward. While they've helped deliver exciting racing on Sundays, the sprints themselves have been somewhat lacking - creating yet another conundrum for F1 to solve...
Who should Alfa Romeo sign for 2022's F1 season?
OPINION: With Valtteri Bottas already signed up for 2022, all eyes are on the race for the second seat at Alfa Romeo next year. Antonio Giovinazzi is the current incumbent, but faces a tough competition from appealing short and long-term prospects
The "forced break" that was key to Ricciardo's Monza excellence
OPINION: Daniel Ricciardo has long been considered one of Formula 1’s elite drivers. But his struggles at McLaren since switching from Renault for 2021 have been painful to watch at times. Yet he’s recovered to banish those memories with a famous Monza win – built on a critically important foundation
How Verstappen is ruining his F1 title battle with Hamilton
OPINION: The Italian GP clash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen followed a running theme in the 2021 Formula 1 title fight. Their close-quarters battles have often resulted in contact - and although Hamilton has shown a willingness to back off, Verstappen must learn to temper his aggression
Italian Grand Prix Driver Ratings
Two drivers produced maximum-score performances as, for the second year in a row, Monza threw up an unpredictable result that left several others ruing what might have been
Why Ricciardo was set for Monza F1 triumph even without Verstappen/Hamilton crash
The clash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was the major flashpoint the 2021 Italian Grand Prix will be remembered for. Yet by this point, race leader Daniel Ricciardo had already done the hard work that would put him in position to end his and McLaren's lengthy win droughts, on a memorable afternoon in Monza
