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The start of the 2013 German Grand Prix. Source: f1fanatic
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With the German Grand Prix this weekend, Sebastien Vettel and Nico Rosberg will be among the four German drivers in the field looking for a good result on home turf. The Mercedes team should continue it’s dominance barring any reliability issues like we saw in the British Grand Prix last week.
Vettel
Unfortunately for them, the numbers aren’t looking so good for Germans at the Hockenheim circuit.
Fernando Alonso has taken home the victory the last two times Formula 1 has visited Hockenheim, both in 2011 and 2012. Vettel did, however, win at the Nurburgring last year with his dominant Red Bull, but the 2014 season has been a lot rougher than Vettel expected after topping off his fourth consecutive World Championship last year. Sebastien has managed just 70 points through almost half of the season and only gotten on the podium twice. At this point in the season last year, Vettel already had four wins under his belt. If Red Bull and Sebastien Vettel want a strong second half of this season, Hockenheim is the place to turn it around.
Fernando Alonso has taken home the victory the last two times Formula 1 has visited Hockenheim, both in 2011 and 2012. Vettel did, however, win at the Nurburgring last year with his dominant Red Bull, but the 2014 season has been a lot rougher than Vettel expected after topping off his fourth consecutive World Championship last year. Sebastien has managed just 70 points through almost half of the season and only gotten on the podium twice. At this point in the season last year, Vettel already had four wins under his belt. If Red Bull and Sebastien Vettel want a strong second half of this season, Hockenheim is the place to turn it around.
Mercedes
The constant team battle within the Mercedes between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton is sure to prevail again in Germany, that is is Lewis Hamilton can make it back up through the field. Nico will be eager to get a win in front of a home crowd while Hamilton will try to catch and take over Rosberg and overcome the four point deficit he is in. Lewis Hamilton is the only one of the pair that has gotten a win in Germany, back in 2008. It is rather unlikely that by the time Hamilton makes it up to the front Rosberg will still be there, so he will have a tough task Sunday.
The Driver’s Championship leader has been switching race by race between these two, with just four points between them going into this weekend’s Grand Prix. The closest competitor is Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, a whopping 67 points behind Hamilton. In the Constructor’s Championship, there is even less of a threat to the silver arrows. Mercedes is in first with 326 points, followed by Red Bull with just 168 – a 158 point lead. As long as Mercedes doesn’t start suffering technical issues with the cars, their chances to take home both Championships are looking safe.
The Driver’s Championship leader has been switching race by race between these two, with just four points between them going into this weekend’s Grand Prix. The closest competitor is Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, a whopping 67 points behind Hamilton. In the Constructor’s Championship, there is even less of a threat to the silver arrows. Mercedes is in first with 326 points, followed by Red Bull with just 168 – a 158 point lead. As long as Mercedes doesn’t start suffering technical issues with the cars, their chances to take home both Championships are looking safe.
Expect an all out race from Rosberg as he tries to distance himself from Hamilton, and keep an eye out for Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo, when the lights go out this Sunday.
– Drew Bennison
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| Key points of the Hockenheim circuit. |
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