MOTORHUB MAGAZINE
poor getaways enabled the Ferraris to
pounce again in Hungary. As Vettel won
from the Red Bulls of Daniil Kvyat and
Daniel Ricciardo, Hamilton - who went
off early on and was latterly penalised was Mercedes’ best-placed runner in sixth
behind Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen and
McLaren’s Fernando Alonso; Rosberg after a late puncture - was eighth.
Mission accomplished for Hamilton,
thereafter the victories belonged to
Rosberg, who converted three poles into
three glorious successes.
But what was it that had changed?
After Singapore Mercedes modified
their complex hydraulic suspension system - which is like the old front and rear
inter-connected (FRIC) layout which was
Hamilton was back on top from Rosberg banned in 2014 but without the front to
in Belgium, and won again at Monza
rear link. The new set-up suited Rosberg
where his team mate’s engine broke.
better than it did Hamilton, who began
Curiously the Mercs were way off the
to feel that the car was no longer as “phepace in Singapore as neither driver could nomenal” as it had been in the first half of
generate tyre temperature, and as Vettel
the season, and no longer “really beneath”
won again for Ferrari Hamilton retired for him, and that he had lost half a second as
the only time in 2015, with Rosberg only a result.
fourth behind Ricciardo and Raikkonen.
Altogether, Mercedes won 16 of the 19
An aggressive second corner move on
races, 10 for Hamilton, six for Rosberg,
Rosberg won the race for Hamilton in
and they finished 1-2 on 12 occasions.
Japan, and he took Russia too when the
In the pole stakes, Hamilton had 11 to
German ran into throttle problems, then Rosberg’s seven. By any standards, the
another hard move at the first corner in
Silver Arrows had another season of devAustin set the scene for arguably the best astating success that ultimately yielded
race of the season. Both drivers strug703 points to Ferrari’s 428; indeed, that
gled to generate tyre temperatures in the was more than Ferrari’s and Williams
greasy early conditions when Ricciardo
points (257) added together.
and Kvyat were at their most dangerous
for Red Bull, but as the track dried out
Ferrari, nonetheless, made some major
Rosberg had the advantage until he made progress in 2015. Pre-season new team
a mistake and slid off track far enough
boss Maurizio Arrivabene had spoken
to enable the chal [