Formula 1: Ferrari strong as a consolation Hockenheim weak for Sebastian Vettel

It should be his weekend, perhaps the last Grand Prix in Hockenheim, probably the last in Germany in the foreseeable future. And everything seemed to have been arranged for Sebastian Vettel's first home victory: in the sold-out Motodrom in front of 70,000 spectators, there was more atmosphere since the greatest times of Schumacher.

Saturday Vettel celebrated his pole position with emotion. spoken in his career. And until the 52nd round, he also looked good to achieve this dream: not to be at the top of the podium 30 kilometers from his hometown Heppenheim. But then Vettel fans in the stands were screaming in horror.

In Sachskurve, Vettel had slid a ceaseless rain down the increasingly wet road of the track and hit the gang. Almost desperately he drummed on his wheel, after a few imprecations, he apologized to his team: "Sorry, guys!"

In front of the television cameras he tried to save self-control. It was not a big mistake, but just a "with huge consequences", as he said. "It was my mistake, so I apologized to the team, I had it in their hands – so a small mistake and a huge disappointment." He had braked a tiny tick too late, the rear wheels were stuck. Even the remark that he would not have a night of insomnia now, he fought – but who knows Vettel, he will not lose it altogether.

"Were worse mistakes of conduct"

For the 31 year old annoyed He was blameless in a situation where it seemed that it was enough for him to win the victory. "We seemed to have everything under control – and that happened here, of course, is particularly bitter," he said after the race. "Nevertheless – I've already made worse driving mistakes than that."

His most important consolation – and Ferrari in this turbulent season: He had the fastest car in Hockenheim, made a leap forward, especially in the field of engine performance, which has already given the competition a frown because it's after being qualified, Toto Wolff, the sports director of Mercedes-Benz, believes that the advantage of Ferrari in the full-throttle pbadages is four or five tenths: "We've seen races here in a few races and we've never had one. We look good in every corner and can not resist Ferrari for the moment. "

" Confident for Hungary "

Where Wolff warns against thinking in the first reflex that there is something wrong with the right things." We must take our own noses and discover how we can get more power from the combustion engine and power more power from the electric motor, "he said." It would be a mistake to follow an automatism and put the adversary in the wrong On the other hand, it was odd that Ferrari found such an important performance from one race to the other.

Mercedes calculated a 28 kilowatt (38 hp) increase. "It's a value that takes two years to develop normally, but again, if Ferrari were able to do it in such a short time, we should do it." According to the technical experts of the World Association, the FIA ​​has also put an end to the badumptions of "illegal tricks": "All is well"

Encouraged by this technical progress, Vettel did not want anything despite the setback knowing from a preliminary decision in the World Cup: "Today is a day very bitter – but we will come back. "Maybe it helps even psychologically, that it will continue in Budapest in a week and that the total concentration, again, the work on the track will apply. "We had the race in hand, we showed everyone what we could, we have a very good car, I'm confident for Hungary," he tried to fight.

Then comes the summer break – and then for the first time the two races at Spa and Monza, where the advantage of Ferrari power should again come true – if Mercedes is not up to that point the secret of the Italians on the track should come.