Martin Brundle: Formula 1 at its best in Germany



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Where do you begin to pick the best moments of this race, which was surely F1 at its best? Fast, chaotic, unpredictable, controversial, dramatic and much fought.

It's a race that Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari had totally under control until he found himself behind his teammate and that he was wasting time, and then finally slipped into city ​​limit speeds. We've all had idiotic "offs" like that, but not often for a GP home win to generously extend your championship lead.

It's going to hurt Seb forever.

The track was greasy, the braking systems were very efficient but complex, and his rear axle locked so that he arrived in the pin with too much speed. He may come back on this incident and wish that he was lower and out of the smooth running line. Being an old school track, gravel traps are cooked and a short and awkward end-of-run contact is inevitable. I did not see him try to reverse it, but maybe he did it.

1:11
Sebastian Vettel enters the gates, crushes the GP of Germany while he is in the lead.

Sebastian Vettel enters the gates, crush on the German GP while leading.

Was Vettel pushing too hard?
Hamilton savoring the "drive of my life"

Seb was forced to push so hard because Hamilton was flying and closing his lead, unsupported by being stuck behind his teammate Kimi Raikkonen for a moment that was on older tires. The team finally made the obvious call change in these circumstances, regardless of who drove what car.

Before Vettel led comfortably from the beginning and he was managing his strategy, with an eye on the inevitable rain, while controlling his only apparent rival at that time in Valtteri Bottas in Merc.

Lewis Hamilton quickly made his way through the pack from the 14th to the 5th, but by that time he was 27 seconds behind the leader. It was a measured training of low risk and high success rate while he was sneaking into the field. A very fast car and a too efficient DRS zone, which made the task too easy for everyone to overtake the parabolic turn to the corner of Turn 6.

He cajoled his tires from 42 lap start and was particularly difficult for Ultrasoft tires just before the rain came turn six. The track was so dry that besides, it seems odd that so many athletes have turned to intermediate tires instead of just tolerating the T6. I guess it was a dice throw for those who had little to lose, but Pierre Gasly in full food in the Toro Rosso looked weird. They all soon made a second attempt to abandon the rain tires, but at least they ensured that the five tires available for the race were used, which rather sums up the chaos

. it seemed that even Max Verstappen asked the inters and it's normally his kind of territory on a marginal runway in a Red Bull.

So of course, we had the ghost stop for Lewis where unusually his engineer Pete Bonnington was a little confused. the heat of the moment. Hamilton stayed at the front of the car safety queue for the restart.

0:20
Lewis Hamilton avoids stopping at the last minute, cutting through the grbad to recover

Lewis Hamilton avoids stopping at the last minute , cutting through the grbad to get back on track.

As you know, the F1 rules are complicated and can be interpreted by combining the General Sporting Code, the F1 Sporting Regulations, the Supplementary Events Regulations and the clarifications at team leader briefings. FIA. Almost every pit-in and pit-out is unique in some way.

Hamilton was close to obtaining a five-second penalty, which would have given Bottas the win, but in the end they were content with a reprimand and the sensational win was held . The commissioners were convinced that the team had been opened, and that it was under a safety car, so not dangerous.

In a weekend article where Lewis wrote a theoretical letter, he told young Lewis that he would do it. screwed by the FIA ​​to Spa & # 39 ;. He was probably reimbursed.

Hamilton retains victory of GP of Germany after investigation
Ranking of last championships

Lewis was very moved throughout the process, and I must say that It was extremely intense from the end. You may remember in my last Silvertsone column that I have recounted the post-qualifying and racing interviews with him. And by watching his actions, listening to him, and reading his words from Hockenheim, he finds himself in a remarkable and probably unusual place.

Daniel Ricciardo started at the back of the grid with engine penalties before spending less time on light-weight tires before retiring with even more technique. problems. The end of the race would have been just the kind of territory that Aussie likes, when there is a race to fly

There were good drivers throughout the race including Nico Hulkenberg in the Renault, Ocon and Perez and Brendan Hartley scoring a point in the Toro Rosso.

Romain Grosjean has been outstanding in the final rounds for Haas, shouting that he can keep his head under the most extreme circumstances. Marcus Ericsson also led well for Sauber

When is the Hungarian GP on Sky F1?
Rating of the German GP driver

The safety car played in the hands of some. Bottas was injured again although he was allowed a dramatic ride to try to pbad Hamilton on the restart before he was called to behave and keep Raikkonen at bay. Under the orders of the team, Lewis was pushing like crazy to take more than five seconds ahead of Bottas while the team had calculated that previous indiscretions in the pit lane risked such a penalty .

Charles Leclerc made his first big test in changing conditions. on the road a couple of times. That's what kind of moments that one can do with a Sauber but not a factory Ferrari.

I am really sorry to learn that Sergio Marchionne, Ferrari's boss, is very sick and is not coming back. This will have a big impact on the imminent direction of Ferrari and probably also on F1. I'm sure Fernando Alonso had a word with new boss Louis Camilleri in a last desperate attempt to find a winning car. Judging by his track performance and radio transmissions at Hockenheim, he is ultimately.

We may never return to Hockenheim, or even to a GP in Germany. It's a matter of finance, but it seems odd not to have a German race given the power of their auto industry and the success of the Schumacher, Vettel and Rosberg championships.

The Times Are Changing

MB

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