Ferrari’s Vettel wins Hungarian Grand Prix

A minute’s silence for Bianchi, a Ferrari academy protégé, 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. You will always be in our hearts. “This win is for you”.

The world champion made a bad start, ran off the road on the first lap and later damaged his auto in a collision with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

On the podium, Vettel then said: “Incredible day but I think this victory is for Jules”.

Sebastian Vettel dedicated his second win of the season to Jules Bianchi after what he described as a very emotional week following the French driver’s death.

The gap had been 16 seconds, but Hamilton was just seven adrift of his team-mate when the race was thrown the most spectacular of curveballs.

Ricciardo said: “It was a insane race”. I’m not nervous about the start, but there is an inconsistent factor.

“I left it all on the track today. I don’t understand why it’s such a big difference to last year at the moment”, added the German. “I gained extra strength today and I owe that to him”.

Max Verstappen also performed well, ending up seventh behind Hulkenberg and one place ahead of the McLaren of Fernando Alonso.

Championship leader and defending two-time champion Briton Lewis Hamilton took full responsibility for his own errors which saw him pick up two penalty points on his super-licence after Sunday’s dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix.

Previously the subject of criticism from Bernie Ecclestone, who per Autosport’s Lawrence Barretto claimed he doesn’t do “much” for F1, Vettel not only drove but conducted himself like a four-time world champion at the Hungaroring.

The Mercedes driver set the pace early in the session when everyone was lapping on the slower medium-compound Pirellis, just over a tenth faster than teammate Nico Rosberg.

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.

“I worked to improve my racing and that has definitely been better so I am pleased with that, but it has slightly compromised qualifying and most of it is not explainable for me”.

Williams driver Felipe Massa of Brazil, front, steers his auto ahead of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, back, during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, July 26, 2015.

A virtual safety auto was deployed immediately followed by the Safety vehicle as debris was cleared.

When he finally got back on track, he had 12 laps to try to salvage as many points as possible. Rosberg, who has never won in Budapest, complained about the handling of his vehicle throughout the session, and based on his showing so far this weekend faces an uphill task to challenge Hamilton.

It was his final significant act. It was a costly incident that required him to get a new front wing and then take a drive-through penalty after being judged at fault for the contact with the Australian driver.

It was about giving a fitting tribute to Bianchi, and the German certainly achieved that with his performance.