2013 German Grand Prix (July 5-7)

[Wouter Melissen]

Less than a week after the controversial British Grand Prix, the Formula 1 circus has arrived at the Nurburgring for the German Grand Prix. Pirelli has brought a new specification tyres as the drivers have threatened to withdraw from the race if more failures occur.

In practice 1, it was business as usual with Hamilton leading the way from Rosberg:


Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m31.754s 25
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m31.973s + 0.219s 25
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m32.789s + 1.035s 22
4. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m32.822s + 1.068s 16
5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m32.956s + 1.202s 22
6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m33.065s + 1.311s 18
7. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m33.139s + 1.385s 24
8. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m33.213s + 1.459s 20
9. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m33.260s + 1.506s 27
10. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m33.456s + 1.702s 18
11. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m33.493s + 1.739s 18
12. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m33.810s + 2.056s 20
13. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.901s + 2.147s 23
14. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.976s + 2.222s 26
15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m34.025s + 2.271s 20
16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m34.200s + 2.446s 22
17. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m34.437s + 2.683s 24
18. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m35.674s + 3.920s 23
19. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m35.987s + 4.233s 19
20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m36.078s + 4.324s 23
21. Rodolfo Gonzalez Marussia-Cosworth 1m37.459s + 5.705s 21
22. Fernando Alonso Ferrari no time 2

German GP: Lewis Hamilton leads Nico Rosberg in first practice - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108547)

[Wouter Melissen]

Vettel goes fastest in FP2:


Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m30.416s 39
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m30.651s + 0.235s 38
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m30.683s + 0.267s 41
4. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m30.843s + 0.427s 32
5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m30.848s + 0.432s 27
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m31.056s + 0.640s 39
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m31.059s + 0.643s 41
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m31.304s + 0.888s 35
9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.568s + 1.152s 37
10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m31.797s + 1.381s 40
11. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m31.824s + 1.408s 34
12. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m31.855s + 1.439s 42
13. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m32.055s + 1.639s 39
14. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m32.086s + 1.670s 36
15. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m32.495s + 2.079s 39
16. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m32.762s + 2.346s 44
17. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m32.879s + 2.463s 35
18. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m32.880s + 2.464s 36
19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m33.695s + 3.279s 38
20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m33.804s + 3.388s 40
21. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m34.017s + 3.601s 10
22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m34.667s + 4.251s 39

German GP: Vettel puts Red Bull on top in second practice - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108557)

[Cobrafan427]

F1 drivers are so spoiled and childish it's not even funny. So Pirelli messed up with the tire compounds? It happens in every form of racing but those drivers don't threaten to boycott races

[Wouter Melissen]

Vettel topped final practice:


Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m29.517s 19
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m30.193s +0.676s 19
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m30.211s +0.694s 18
4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m30.621s +1.104s 16
5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m30.639s +1.122s 17
6. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m30.671s +1.154s 19
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m30.744s +1.227s 20
8. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m30.781s +1.264s 18
9. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m30.966s +1.449s 20
10. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m31.009s +1.492s 18
11. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.326s +1.809s 22
12. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m31.405s +1.888s 20
13. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m31.733s +2.216s 21
14. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m31.855s +2.338s 18
15. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.855s +2.338s 23
16. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m31.898s +2.381s 19
17. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m31.969s +2.452s 20
18. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m32.036s +2.519s 23
19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m33.230s +3.713s 19
20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m33.470s +3.953s 22
21. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m33.964s +4.447s 21
22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m34.683s +5.166s 20

German GP: Sebastian Vettel blitzes final practice for Red Bull - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108593)

[Wouter Melissen]

Hamilton claims pole as Rosberg misses Q3 due to a bad strategy call:


Pos Driver Team Time Gap
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m29.398s
2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m29.501s +0.103s
3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m29.608s +0.210s
4. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m29.892s +0.494s
5. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m29.959s +0.561s
6. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m30.528s +1.130s
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m31.126s +1.728s
8. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m31.209s +1.811s
9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes No time set
10. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari No time set
Q2 cut-off time: 1m30.269s Gap **
11. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m30.326s +0.501s
12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m30.697s +0.872s
13. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m30.933s +1.108s
14. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m31.010s +1.185s
15. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m31.010s +1.185s
16. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m31.104s +1.279s
Q1 cut-off time: 1m31.681s Gap *
17. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m31.693s +1.146s
18. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m31.707s +1.160s
19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m32.937s +2.390s
20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m33.063s +2.516s
21. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m33.734s +3.187s
22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m34.098s +3.551s

107% time: 1m36.885s
* Gap to quickest in Q1
** Gap to quickest in Q2

German GP: Lewis Hamilton denies Sebastian Vettel pole - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108594)

[Ferrer]

Worried that the lack of exploding tyres might spoil the fun in F1 races?

Worry no more, the latest FIA trick is to send uncontrolled cars down the track at random times.

Very exciting!

[pimento]

No exploding tyres, just cameraman seeking ballistic tyres.

Apparently he's OK, but going to be sore for a while.

A pretty good race all told.. some nice close racing, a close finish for Vettel with a close Finnish behind him, and Mr Gross Trousers managed to both hold off Alonso and not crash into anyone.

[faksta]

Grosjean is a much better driver than he is usually considered to be, though, and if his crew went for the same strategy as Kimi the result might have been a bit different, I think. He's a man of the race for me this time, even though I was eagerly hoping that a certain Finn would grab the victory in the end.

P.S. Loved his 'I'm much faster than Kimi!' radio message :D

[Wouter Melissen]

Vettel grabbed a long overdue home victory:


Results - 60 laps:

Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h41m14.711s
2. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault +1.008s
3. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault +5.830s
4. Fernando Alonso Ferrari +7.721s
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +26.927s
6. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes +27.996s
7. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault +37.562s
8. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes +38.306s
9. Nico Rosberg Mercedes +46.821s
10. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari +49.892s
11. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes +53.771s
12. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari +56.975s
13. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes +57.738s
14. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari +1m00.160s
15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault +1m01.929s
16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault +1 lap
17. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault +1 lap
18. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault +1 lap
19. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth +1 lap

Retirements:

Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 22 laps
Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 21 laps
Felipe Massa Ferrari 3 laps

German GP: Sebastian Vettel resists Kimi Raikkonen for home win - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/108638)

[LTSmash]

Grosjean is a much better driver than he is usually considered to be, though, and if his crew went for the same strategy as Kimi the result might have been a bit different, I think. He's a man of the race for me this time, even though I was eagerly hoping that a certain Finn would grab the victory in the end.

Grosjean is a pretty solid driver. The poor guy just has horrendous luck; in fact the only good luck the guy has is getting a second chance to race.