Race winner Fernando Alonso (ESP, Ferrari) celebrates on the podium with third placed Sebastian Vettel (GER, Red Bull Racing) after the German Grand Prix. Andrew Hone/Getty Images

Ferrari set pulses racing, in its much awaited podium position since Bahrain, at the opening of the season. Still third in the constructors’ Championship, it has closed the gap to second placed Red Bull Racing from 84 to 64 points. Felipe Massa finished second, obviously disillusionment on his face with his second place orders, after a controversial radio conversation with his radio man, meant Alonso was fast approaching and that his speed on his softer tires, should not be ‘interrupted’, a decision which cost them 130,000 euro fine for infringing the FIA sporting code of ‘team orders’.

Joining them on the podium was the Red Bull of pole man Sebastian Vettel.

Fernando Alonso (front left) of Spain and Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel (front right) of Germany and Red Bull Racing drive side by side to the first corner at the start of the German Grand Prix at Hockenheimring on July 25, 2010 in Hockenheim, Germany. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

SEBASTIAN VETTEL, 3rd, “Normally we have very good starts, so I’m not really sure what happened today. I had quite a lot ofgrip, I dumped the clutch, but got bogged down, so the first five to ten metres of the accelerationwere poor. I was lucky I didn’t stall the engine, but I lost the momentum so I knew that it would bevery tight with Fernando who I was already side by side with. There was no way I could stay aheadof him and then I was surprised to see Felipe coming from the left. But, after that we still had a goodrace. The closer I got to the car in front, I began to feel tyres losing grip and starting to grain, but Ithink for most of the race the Ferraris were probably a tenth or two quicker than us. It was difficult tokeep up the pace. Towards the end we were able to push again a little bit. We finished third and Ithink we can be proud of that. We achieved our maximum today and I was very pleased to be onthe podium. It’s very special for me at my home Grand Prix, it’s great to see the people here and tobe on the podium – to see everyone cheering is very nice and emotional.”