Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has hailed Fernando Alonso as "extraordinary" following his emotional European Grand Prix victory.
Alonso was reduced to tears after securing his 19th Formula One win, a triumph he suggested was the best of his career.
On home soil and with Spanish flags flying around the Valencia Street Circuit, Alonso took the overwhelming acclaim of the crowd as he stood first on his Ferrari and then on the podium.
Even the marshals could not help but bow down and offer thanks to their hero on a near-perfect day for Alonso as title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel failed to finish.
With Alonso becoming the first driver to win two races this year, and with a 20-point cushion over the chasing pack, Di Montezemolo could not help but also be overwhelmed.
"This is Ferrari at its very best, the one everyone wants to see," said Di Montezemolo.
"Fernando was extraordinary, and it's hard to find the words to describe his race which has shown the spirit of a team that never gives up."
Alonso's victory was all the more poignant given he dedicated it to the people of Spain gripped by a savage economic crisis.
In that respect, Di Montezemolo offered up his own dedication, to those in Emilia Romagna where two earthquakes struck nine days apart at the end of last month, killing 26.
Di Montezemolo added: "The win also reflects the spirit of our homeland in Emilia Romagna where so many people are going through a particularly difficult time after the earthquake a few weeks back.
"Let's hope this victory will at least have put a smile on their faces."
Alonso's success was all the more remarkable given he started from 11th on the grid, and at a circuit that had offered precious little excitement in four previous races.
Yesterday's event, however, was action-packed, with Alonso on top of his game, but with team principal Stefano Domenicali knowing more needs to be done to improve.
Domenicali said: "Fernando was spectacular in terms of showing aggression and in the way he managed the car and tyres.
"We could tell this weekend felt very special to him and the win was really emotional for him and the whole team.
"We saw that some of our competitors had reliability problems and it serves as a reminder that this aspect is crucial for success.
"In such a closely-matched season, a no-score carries a high price in the classification, but these 25 points will definitely not go to our heads.
"We are well aware how things can change in the blink of an eye and we must continue to work on improving the car's performance, because it is still not at the level we want."
