Arrivabene: Ferrari’s British GP win sweeter at rivals’ home

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene says Sebastian Vettel’s British Grand Prix victory is “all the more special” at the home round of its major Formula 1 rivals as the Italian manufacturer reached the top step of the rostrum at Silverstone for the first time since 2011.

After darting into the lead ahead of pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton, Vettel was made to sweat for his win following a late race Safety Car which saw the Ferrari driver pit and lose track position to Valtteri Bottas in the Mercedes.

But with fresh tyres the German driver produced a masterful overtake on the Finn at Brooklands in the closing stages to charge to his second British GP victory – his first coming nine years ago with Red Bull.

Vettel’s triumph also ends Ferrari’s hoodoo at Silverstone having failed to win at the British circuit for seven years having seen a Mercedes domination in that time, which team boss Arrivabene says it makes the victory even sweeter.

“This was a well-deserved win, mainly down to a great job from the team at the track and back in Maranello and I congratulate them,” Arrivabene said. “Winning here is not easy as England is home to the Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Force India and Williams and others. That makes winning here all the more special.

“Sebastian drove a great race, fighting like a lion despite the pain in the neck he has suffered with since Saturday.

“Kimi also had a strong race proving once again what a fighter he is. The SF71H confirmed its strengths as it has done on other tracks already and the Pirelli tyres were a perfect match for our strategy.”

Ferrari also saw off stinging comments from Mercedes who indirectly accused it of deliberately crashing with Lewis Hamilton after Kimi Raikkonen ran into the British driver on the opening lap.

It marks the second time in three races a Ferrari driver has clashed with a Mercedes after Vettel collided with Bottas at the first turn of the French GP.

Ferrari double podium, with Raikkonen claiming third place, sees it extend its Formula 1 world constructors’ championship lead to 20 points over Mercedes while Vettel has opened up his advantage in the drivers’ standings to eight points on Hamilton.