Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany kisses his trophy :
German driver Sebastian Vettel delivered an emotional high-speed tribute to his late colleague Jules Bianchi on Sunday when he stormed to victory for Ferrari in a dramatic and incident-filled Hunga-rian Grand Prix. The four-time world champion claimed his second victory of the season and 41st of his career — drawing him level with the late Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna in equal third on the all-time list — after leading from the start to dominate a thrilling and unpredictable contest. The Red Bull pair of Russian Daniil Kvyat and Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished in second and third respectively. The ferocity of the contest, lit up by Vettel’s blazing speed and tenacity, served as an appropriate tribute to Frenchman Bianchi, who died on July 17 from injuries sustained when he collided with a recovery vehicle in torrential rain at last October’s Japanese GP. A minute’s silence for Bianchi, before the race created an emotional atmosphere that was reflected in the action and in Vettel’s speech to the Ferrari team on his triumphant slow-down lap. “Merci Jules, c’est a toi,” said the winner. “Thank you Jules, You will always be in our hearts... This win is for you.” It was Vettel’s first victory in Hungary, and 21-year-old Kvyat’s first career podium — the best ever by a Russian driver — as Red Bull produced a reminder of their pedigree. It was the first podium this year without a Mercedes driver. Dutch teenager Jos Verstappen finished fourth for Toro Rosso — on a track where his father Jos finished on the podium in 1994 — ahead of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso who delivered the troubled McLaren Honda team’s best result of thenyear in fifth place. Series leader and defending two-time champion Briton Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, after starting from pole position, for Mercedes. Inspired, perhaps, by the team’s call for total commitment to racing in a signal of respect for Bianchi, Vettel surged from third on the grid to pass Rosberg into Turn One. Behind him, team-mate Kimi Raikkonen followed closely as both Rosberg and Hamilton attempted to defend, but just as at Silverstone three weeks previously, the two Mercedes men were out-started comprehensively. Hamilton was relegated to fourth on the opening lap during which, in an attempt to pass Rosberg, he ran wide across a gravel trap at the chicane. He returned to the track in a spray of stones, re-joining in 10th place. “Nico crossed my line there, he pushed me wide,” said Hamilton, a claim not supported by video replays. After closing the gap behind Rosberg to five seconds, Hamilton lost time in traffic while Raikkonen, suffering more bad luck, lost power and slowed before Hulkenberg, after losing the front wing on his Force India car in a frightening incident on the straight, crashed directly into the barriers at Turn One. Source: The Asian Age, Image: flickr.com
