Ferrari hits a bump as Sebastian Vettel loses to Nico Rosberg

By The Independent/Reuters


"If it stays dry, I think it might be a rather dull race," Ferrari's technical director James Allison ventured on the grid before the start of the first Mexican Grand Prix for 23 years. Well, it was dry, and he was right as Nico Rosberg led Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton home by almost two seconds.

Ironically, it was Allison's man Sebastian Vettel who injected most of the drama for all the wrong reasons as Ferrari failed to finish either of their cars for the first time since the 2006 Australian GP. It was also the end a 2 0race scoring run.

"Over the course of the season we managed to touch the sky," said Ferrari principal Maurizio Arrivabene. "This time we reached the bottom."

The last time Ferrari drew a blank was in Japan last year, a race overshadowed by tragedy when Marussia driver Jules Bianchi suffered what was to prove a fatal crash. Ferrari failed to win a race in 2014 but have taken three victories this year thanks to Sebastian Vettel and have become the closest rivals to dominant champions Mercedes.

Mexico, hosting a Formula One race for the first time since 1992, dealt a surprisingly heavy blow. Sebastian Vettel had qualified third but after banging wheels with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo on the first lap he picked up a puncture that sent him back into the pits to rejoin at the rear. He fought back hard but a spin undid he good work and then he crashed 20 aps from the end, bringing out the safe y car. It was only the second time this year that he had failed to score a point.

Vettel, who lost second place overall o the race winner Rosberg, said he had probably been trying too hard.Teammate Kimi Raikkonen had already gone by then, the Finn crash ng out after a tangle with compatriot Valtteri Bottas. He had started at the back after an unscheduled engine and gearbox change.

Return to Mexico

"Today's race was a lesson of humility that we must put to good use," said Arrivabene. The last two races of the season will be in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

As older Mexican fans relived the glory days of the greats Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez in whose joint honour the revamped track is named, F1 savoured its return to a country where the sport is still revered and hugely popular.

The Abu Dhabians, the Russians, the Koreans and the Indians like it, the Chinese are learning about it, but the Mexicans are part of its fabric. They really get it. At a time when it's fashionable to denigrate Formula One, the organisers deserve credit for reviving this GP. It felt like a homecoming.