Vettel wins action-packed Hungarian GP ahead of Red Bulls

Speaking in French on his slowing down lap, Vettel said: “Merci, Jules”.

“And for all the people at Ferrari, we know sooner or later he would have been part of our team”.

Bianchi’s parents, Philippe and Christine, and his siblings were flown in for the race by Bernie Ecclestone and they linked arms with the drivers ahead of the race.

But the drama intensified when Nico Huelkenberg in a Force India went off on lap 43 of the 69 laps after losing his front wing, crashing head-on into a tyre safety barrier.

Lewis Hamilton raised a fist in celebration and enjoyed a special triumph Saturday as he grabbed his fifth consecutive pole position and his ninth in 10 races this season.

Former champions Red Bull were back on the Formula One podium for the first time this season in Hungary on Sunday but Daniel Ricciardo felt he could have won.

The race took an unexpected and sensational twist right from the off as Vettel made a stunning start to seize the lead.

But the race was re-started because Brazilian driver Felipe Massa was out of position on the grid.

Worse was to come for Hamilton, who found his racing line impeded by Rosberg and went off into the gravel, tumbling down the leaderboard.

“Nico crossed my line there, he pushed me wide”, said Hamilton, a claim not supported by video replays.

His absorption of the later pressure applied by Rosberg and Ricciardo, who lurked in his wing mirrors, was the mark of a driver who simply knew nobody was going to take victory away from him.

Behind the top four, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen qualified fifth with fellow-Finn Valtteri Bottas lining up sixth for Williams.

“They were very strict on driving”, said Maldonado, who was given three penalties.

With Rosberg plummeting down the order late, you can be forgiven for thinking Lewis Hamilton would have pulled away significantly in the driver’s championship standings.

Vettel’s win was a boost for F1 fans disgruntled by the dominance of Mercedes and lamenting a lack of overtaking and excitement.

Hamilton leads Rosberg by 17 points before a race that marks the halfway point of the season. “By the grace of God I got some points”.

“We need to find time”, Rosberg’s team informed him.

“The other key factor in qualifying was the red flag which caught me out because I was on my first quick lap and had to abort it. So I only had one lap to get the job done and I just missed out by two hundredths of a second“.

Alonso started to push the vehicle uphill on his own before track marshals helped him. Hamilton and Rosberg used the safety-car phase to pit and change to soft tires.

But in the wake of yet another sluggish start he was fourth after turn one and in a bid to repass Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg at the chicane he fell off the track.

There was no further action taken for the Ricciardo-Rosberg incident after investigation was completed. It is frustrating but I am almost over it and I will be firing on all pistons.

Sensing victory, Rosberg was only 1.2 seconds behind Vettel with 10 laps to go. Minutes later, those hopes were dashed.