Author: Natalie

F1 2014: Belgium GP Qualifying- Rosberg Rules Wet Spa

The Mercedes team dominated the field in a wet qualifying session ahead of the 2014 Belgium GP.

Nico Rosberg mastered slippery conditions to out-qualify teammate Lewis Hamilton by two tenths of a second. Sebastian Vettel secured third position for Red Bull Racing but his fastest time was some two seconds slower than the high flying Mercedes pair. Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top five grid positions.

The star of the first part of qualifying was Marussia’s Jules Bianchi as the young Frenchman brilliantly advanced to the second session of the one hour session. Andre Lotterer, who has taken over from Kamui Kobayashi, impressed in the Caterham by out-qualifying teammate Marcus Ericcson by a full second. Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India was the surprise casualty in the first session of qualifying. The German complained about losing brake temperature throughout the session.

Neither Toro Rosso driver was able to advance beyond the second session of qualifying. Lotus’ Romain Grosjean out-qualified his teammate, Pastor Maldonado, but failed to make any further impression and will start tomorrow’s grand prix in 15th position.

Despite a brief appearance by the sun in the final part of qualifying all drivers remained on the intermediate tyres for the fastest runs of the session. Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were relegated to sixth and ninth respectively in the tricky condition. However, tomorrow’s potential forecast of fair weather is likely to reinstate the Martini sponsored team’s hopes.

August 23, 2014
F1 2014: Belgium GP Preview – Spa-tacular! Spa-tacular!

There is a legendary stretch of asphalt in the Belgian country-side that has sustained a fabled allure for decades. Spa-Francorchamps is the quintessential race track and the place of what Formula 1 dream are made of.

Eau Rouge and Blanchimont used to be some of the most fearsome corners anywhere in the world. But the evolution of Formula 1 has surpassed the challenge of these legendary tests of courage and has reduced them to slightly curvy pieces of tarmac taken at full speed without even a second’s worth of hesitation. Despite this, Spa will always be considered the driver’s circuit because though it may not require obscene amounts of bravery it still demands courage and enough pluck to fling a car around it at an unthinkably high speed.

After the mid-season break Formula 1 teams will show up in the paddock refreshed and renewed with a few bits and bobs for their 2014 steeds. These pricey and painstakingly developed new bits of carbon fibre have a bit of job to do. On them rests a few desperate and hopeful expectations of a few tenths of a second.

Ferrari, the team formerly known as champions, find themselves in a ding-dong battle with Martini sponsored foe Williams for third place in the constructor’s championship. Like a good Finn should Valtteri Bottas has taken up the responsibility and has preserved his nation’s reputation for delivering reserved but mega quick racing drivers. If Felipe Massa can survive the first corner/lap the Williams pairing are going to be a thorn in the side of most this weekend.

There is a hypothetical chance that Ferrari will bring an upgrade for its power unit to this race. In theory, they may have an upgrade ready but chances are that it may not improve much or anything at all for that matter or in true 2014 Ferrari fashion – make it worse. Even if Kimi Raikkonen is a Spa-specialist a Ferrari victory is highly improbable.

For Mercedes the second half of the season will not be a straightforward run to glory. The Silver Arrow may be the fastest thing out there by a country mile but reliability has caused more than its fair share of headaches. The inter-team battle between Hamilton and Rosberg is far from settled too. Rosberg hasn’t had to worry his pretty head too much this season as most of the unreliability has been confined to the Hamilton side of the garage. Which leaves a question mark that if Rosberg finds himself in a similarly dismal run of luck will he have the Hamilton-esque tenacity to fight back and recover?

Nevertheless, Spa’s demand for grunt and top-end speed will make the Mercedes sing to its Turbo-heart’s content. If it rains, which it often does in these parts, it won’t be too much of a bother for them either such is the performance advantage of this beast. With all things being equal and maybe even the possibility of a trouble-free quali session Hamilton should have the edge around here.

Daniel Ricciardo has snatched his own bit of spotlight this season. The Aussie and his toothy grin has impressed against his four-time world champion teammate. In fact, Dan has all but owned the fingered wonder, for now. Along with two stellar victories Ricciardo has thrilled with his boisterous racecraft. Alas, the labouring Renault power unit may restrict the Aussie’s progress but it doesn’t have a chance of curbing his enthusiasm to go racing.

This dynamic challenge Spa is as spectacular as it comes. Its sprawling stretches of tarmac in the middle of the Ardennes possess some of the greatest parts of Formula 1 history. For 2014 it awaits another chapter to be written into its illustrious annals.

August 20, 2014
Ferrari: Anyone for a revolution?

Once upon a time the legendary Ferrari Formula 1 team was spoken of in awe and starry eyed worship. The dream team of Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt and Ross Brawn and their towering supremacy defined the entire era of the 90s and early 2000s. The crimson red of Ferrari was in every corner of the world, worn proudly by their dedicated Tifosi.

Since then the wave of Ferrari’s success has dramatically diminished. A disappointing 2014 campaign has effected several changes in the team’s structure but the new regulations haven’t been solely to blame for their struggles. The 2008 constructor’s title was the team’s last championship triumph and since then a few second place finishes is all the team has to show for itself. In the world of Ferrari second place is wholly unacceptable, even downright appalling. Here the only thing that matters is being the best, being number one. Here, the walls of the Maranello factory are saturated with the legacy of success and here being the best is ingrained in the very fabric of its existence.

In 2014 alone several incidents have combined to provide a decisive indication of a team in decline. In Australia someone forgot to fasten Kimi Raikkonen’s seat in the practice session; later the team fitted the wrong tyres to the car, and several glaringly dubious strategy calls in qualifying and races have had significant consequences on grid slots and results. It’s as if the clinical racing machine that was Ferrari has slowly perished over the last several years to be replaced by a slapdash team of headless chickens.

For all of their struggles and non-informative press statements and less than convincing promises of improvement Ferrari has had one thing going for it – the belief that they can do better. That belief, along with major changes in the organisation, has seen it start the transformation it so badly needs. First, team Principal Stefano Domenicalli was expelled and replaced with Marco Mattiacci. The CEO of Ferrari in North America Mattiacci’s appointment was somewhat surprising. The silver-haired Italian is a suit, used to boardrooms and PowerPoint. Yet, the move makes sense. He doesn’t have a blinding infatuation with the Scuderia and he isn’t lovesick about its near mythical greatness. He is a man used to setting out a singular strategy and remaining focused on the objective of reaching it. Mattiacci is no fool either; he knows what changes need to happen where. “It’s not just the power units, the aerodynamics, [or] the chassis; it’s the team, the car – it’s a huge amount of work that needs to be done.”

Last year, James Allison joined the team but not with enough time to have an impact on the design of the F 14T. Allison, second only to Adrian Newey in reputation, is a level-headed bloke. He doesn’t profess to have the secret to fixing Ferrari’s problems overnight. He is a solid team man though with an impressive technical mind. His last two cars, the 2012 and 2013 Lotus were good pieces of kit which allowed for development and improvement. Contrastingly, the F 14T is right mess. It started the 2014 season with a grossly deficient and overweight power-unit. The horrors weren’t confined to one area though. It yearns for downforce and its loose rear-end makes it a nightmare to balance.

The F 14T is fundamentally flawed in design which means any significant improvement can only be made with a remodel of the chassis. In other words, it’s not happening in 2014. But the team can put the groundwork in place for next year. They’ve put Allison in charge of leading the 2015 project and he has already presented his plans to Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. Yes, unlike previous years Allison’s plan is for both drivers to have a say in the design principles of the car.

A dodgy and erratic power-unit hasn’t done the team any favours this season and the result is a restructuring in the engine department. Engine chief Luca Marmorini has been sacked by the team in favour of Mattia Binotto who will serve as the chief-operating-officer of the power-unit department. The design of the power-unit will fall on Lorenzo Sassi who has been with the team since 2006.

Ferrari has responded to news of engineering director Pat Fry’s dismissal by rejecting it as mere “rumours.” However, as Allison has all but slotted in as the de facto technical head it fuels speculation as to where Fry will fit into the all-new shiny Ferrari line-up.

You are in an era of change Ferrari fans and this team should be commended for that. They’ve realized their miscalculations and they’re big enough to admit their mistakes and, more importantly, to do something about it.

August 17, 2014
F1 2014: Attention F1 Gamers

It’s no great revelation that most F1 fans have fantasised about what it is like to complete a flying lap in a Formula 1 car. As most of us dreamers are unlikely to experience the breathless minute and a half of pure exhilaration we look for the next best thing – gaming.

Formula 1 games have come a long way since the early days of Geoff Crammond’s Formula One Grand Prix. From console to pc the genre has continued to progress over the decades to land with its current creators, Codemasters.

As present holders of the official F1 licence Codemasters has announced two new titles. F1 2014 will feature all the “seismic” changes to the sport while drawing on the developer’s experience in this specific category. Creators have revealed that F1 2014 will feature refined handling and a new driver evaluation system calculated according to your personal skill level. This announcement doesn’t exactly make us light up light a halogen lamp. To refine means to correct or modify something that already exists. It means that Codemasters thinks that their previous attempt at an F1 title was close to the mark; it wasn’t.

Simulation gaming is about realism and while we don’t expect a 100% likeness to the real deal we also don’t expect to win the Abu Dhabi grand prix in Kobayashi’s Caterham. For the true simulator snobs rFactor remains the Holy Grail. For the less obsessed gamer there are several arcade, read easy, racing sims to satisfy that twenty minute stretch of boredom while you wait for your Candy Crush lives to replenish. Fact is, there is a market for both and Codemasters are trying to create a happy medium to satisfy both ends of the scale.

Their attempts at F1 games haven’t been awful but they’ve been far from mind blowing. The first title, F1 2010, was well received and praised for its attention to detail and intricate weather system. However, the high praise was based on the fact that fans had been starved of a new title for several years. Thus, objectivity was clouded by the giddy anticipation of finally getting your hands on a brand-spanking new F1 game. Enthusiasm started to wane a year later with the launch of F1 2011 and the knives started to appear. A tweak to the multiplayer function and a few new rules wasn’t enough to dupe gamers who struck the fatal blow by dubbing it a meagre replica of its predecessor. In 2012 Codemasters had another go but interest and enthusiasm was lukewarm at best. The following year introduced a F1 Classics mode which allowed gamers to pound around Jerez, Brands Hatch or Imola in a classic Lotus, Williams or Ferrari. The throwback was a classy homage and was appreciated by the sport’s fans.

In an attempt to sell its 2014 title Codemasters is talking up the “exciting and refreshingly different experience” it will deliver. Of course gamers will give it a fair chance and conduct their own meticulous examination of its so-called refreshing makeover so we’ll reserve judgment too. The truth is that most are a whole lot more excited about the second announcement made by Codemasters.

The 2015 title, to be released early in the new season, will be a next-gen release. What is next-gen? First, it’s important to understand that with greater processing power comes great responsibility. Next-generation gaming means tighter, more defined graphics, and a level of realism which will increase the sense of immersion. It should require all game developers to swear on an Atari that they will utilise all of its mammoth potential and deliver a gaming experience beyond our wildest dreams.

Should F1 2015 be the answer to your gaming dreams and it continues to command your attention you’ll be happy to know that it will receive live digital updates as the season progresses.

Whether you’re an occasional gamer or the compulsively obsessed kind Codemasters wants you to buy their game. They’re trying to convince you by setting a lofty goal for them. By announcing a next-gen F1 title they now have a responsibility to deliver something special. If all they produce is a simple reproduction of previous titles they will dump the franchise into gaming oblivion. If they knock it out of the park then F1 gamers may just find themselves one step closer to that virtual F1 cockpit.

August 17, 2014
F1 2014: Hungarian GP Review – Real-deal Ricciardo Shines In Hungary

In spite of what the circumstances may be, how improbable it seems or how much the odds are stacked against you there is something to be said for never giving up. Daniel Ricciardo, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton’s performance in the Hungarian GP were phenomenal examples of such resolve.

Lewis Hamilton needed to dig deep as his miserable qualifying run continued. A suspected fuel leak brought a fiery end to his qualifying aspirations. A complete rebuild of the car relegated him to a pitlane start and a seemingly uphill battle.

In contrast, Nico Rosberg reeled off another dominant pole position but Red Bull’s long run pace suggested that Sunday’s race could be closer than Mercedes would be comfortable with. A short rain shower before the start of the race demanded a start of the intermediate tyre but it was still poleman Rosberg who dominated the early stages of the race.

The slippery conditions nearly caught Hamilton out as he survived a brush with the barrier after spinning off a turn 2. Up and down the pitlane the team strategists were made to work hard as questionable weather conditions and safety cars called for rapid decision making.

The first safety car was deployed to recover the wrecked Caterham of Marcus Ericsson.

However, it was too late for Rosberg, Bottas, Vettel and Alonso to dive into the pitlane for slick tyres. A lap later, Daniel Ricciardo emerged in the lead of the race.

Jenson Button, hoping for a timely rain shower, elected to remain on the intermediate tyres. However, as the track surface continued to dry so the chances of the McLaren driver dissipated.

A second stint was required behind the safety car when Force India’s Sergio Perez crashed heavily into the concrete barrier on the start/finish straight. Ricciardo and the two Williams drivers took to the pitlane.

The reshuffle left Fernando Alonso in the lead of the race on a two-stop strategy. It nearly resulted in a spectacular victory for the Spaniard. Alas, it was a task slightly too big for the Ferrari driver to accomplish.

Nevertheless, in what has been a trying year for the Scuderia Alonso’s relentless spirit earned him a stellar second place.

Lewis Hamilton put his misfortune aside to complete a sensational run from the pitlane to the final step of the podium. Third place is not what the Brit aims for but it is a result that will do the psychology of his title bid a world of good.

On a more contentious note Hamilton was asked by his team to let his three-stopping teammate through. For his part it didn’t seem like Hamilton was wholly against the instruction but informed the team that Rosberg would have to get closer if it was going to happen. It makes perfect sense that Hamilton should not lose time to the car ahead in order to let his teammate through.

Despite the differing strategies Hamilton was very much in the same race as his teammate and more importantly in an ever-tightening battle for the world championship.

“I was very, very shocked that the team would ask me to do that [move aside],” Hamilton said after the race. “I’m racing for myself. Not for anyone else.” It was a preposterous request by the Mercedes team that has no place in the sport and, with any luck, will never be uttered over a team radio again.

Nico Rosberg, home in fourth, was fairly unhappy about the incident after the race. The German has been performing at the highest level in 2014 but as the second half of the season approaches he will realize that it is going to require for him to dig deeper than he thought possible.

Felipe Massa brought his Williams home in fifth position ahead of Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari in sixth. The Finn staged an outstanding comeback after a strategy error left him 16^th on the grid.

Sebastian Vettel survived a spin on the main straight to finish seventh ahead of Valtteri Bottas in eighth.

Jean-Eric Vergne ran as high as second-place in the race but was relegated to ninth to lead home McLaren’s Jenson Button in tenth.

The utter determination of Alonso and Hamilton was a joy to behold but Daniel Ricciardo’s breathtaking race was every Formula 1 fan’s dream.

Late in the race the Red Bull driver pulled off two tremendous overtaking moves on Hamilton and Alonso on course to his second grand prix victory.

The ease and class with which Ricciardo has taken to racing amongst the very best in F1 is indicative of a driver with a serious amount of talent. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that the Aussie is a star of the future; because Daniel Ricciardo is, unquestionably, already a star.

August 3, 2014
F1 2014: Hungarian GP Preview – Tricky Hungarian Test Awaits

Less than seven days later the Formula 1 paddock descends on the city of Budapest for the Hungarian GP. Technical in nature the 4.381 km circuit will require high downforce, efficient cooling and most importantly a good qualifying performance.

The Hungaroring is often referred to as Monaco without the barriers because of its tricky layout which for the most part has only one racing line. Consequently, there won’t be much opportunity for overtaking nor will all mistakes go unpunished. The Hungaroring retains some of the old-school Formula 1 characteristics which means that gravel traps and barriers loom in close proximity. Contrastingly, there are several tarmac run-off areas which offer some reprieve for error-stricken drivers.

Given the lack of proper overtaking opportunities strategy will be particularly important. The extremely high track temperatures seen at Hockenheim has given the teams vital information as to how to Pirelli rubber will react when exposed to similar conditions in Hungary. The tyres we are bringing to Hungary are a step harder, to deal with the increased demands, so we would expect the usual two pit stops,” predicted Pirelli’s Paul Hembery.

The circuit’s layout is dominated by medium to high-speed corners with little time spent at full throttle. However, the average speed of the lap remains fairly high. “The Hungaroring is a great track,” says McLaren’s Jenson Button. “Everybody thinks of it as a slow circuit, but, out the back, it’s got some pretty decent corners – Turn Four requires some serious commitment, and it’s made harder because it has a blind apex. Equally, the sequence of S-bends that make up Turns Eight to 11 are really satisfying to drive.”

Lewis Hamilton has been dogged by issues in qualifying for the last several races as he trails fourteen points behind teammate and championship leader Nico Rosberg. However, Hamilton is prepared to come out fighting once more and resolutely said that enjoys having to fight for victories and the title.

The 2008 champion may have more to fight against this weekend than just his teammate. The Williams team has been on the cusp several times of mounting a serious battle for victory and if they can continue their stunning momentum Hungary may be their best chance yet.

Williams’ chance to win the Hungarian GP will come on Saturday. The Hungaroring, much like Monte Carlo, is notoriously difficult to overtake on. Despite the fact that race pace is always priority for Bottas, Massa and their engineers they may devote a bit more time and effort than usual to enhancing their one lap pace. But locking out the front row or securing pole position won’t be all that is required. The team will have to take an aggressive approach on strategy as they still lack on overall race pace when compared to the Silver Arrows.

By this stage of the season the duel between the Mercedes drivers is as intense as at any other point.

However, their attention may be required elsewhere this weekend. Can Williams steal the all mighty Mercedes’ thunder?

July 23, 2014
F1 2014: German GP – Relentless Rosberg Scores Home Victory

Life happens to be pretty good if you’re name is Nico Rosberg. Not only has he extended his Mercedes contract but he’s gotten married in-between races, secured a comfortable pole position on Saturday and wrapped up a dominant home grand prix victory to boot.

The battle for supremacy between the Mercedes teammates was dealt a severe blow as Hamilton was exiled to 20^th place on the grid following a brake disc failure in qualifying and a subsequent gearbox change.

Nico Rosberg was completely in control of the 67 lap German GP as he led fellow front-row starter, Valtteri Bottas, to the chequered flag for his first victory on home soil. The Finn delivered yet another stunning drive to hold off a recovering Lewis Hamilton for his third consecutive podium. Even though Williams’ biggest target is to finish ahead of Ferrari in the constructor’s championship their ability to keep one Mercedes at bay is, on merit, is a tremendous result.

McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen’s inexperience was telling as he collided with the Williams of Felipe Massa into turn one. Massa’s car was flipped onto its roll-bar before coming to rest on the tarmac run-off area of turn one. The Brazilian was uninjured but suffered his second retirement in three races.

In fairness, Magnussen should have yielded the corner to Massa as he was out of the Williams driver’s sight. The incident was mopped after a short safety car period and the race re-started with Rosberg in the lead.

Lewis Hamilton unleashed a determined drive from the back of the field but it wasn’t without a few risky moments. There was slight contact with Kimi Raikkonen at the hairpin as he passed both the Ferrari driver and Daniel Ricciardo. Later on a rather dicey attempt at overtaking Jenson Button into the same hairpin resulted in a damaged front-wing endplate. A three-stop strategy meant that Hamilton ran the last two stints of the race on the quicker supersoft tyre. However, despite his clear pace advantage he was unable to overtake Bottas for second place. Hamilton’s rather glum face after the race showed his disappointment with the third step of the podium. Some may take exception to Hamilton’s body language but it tells of a driver for whom winning is the only acceptable result.

A spin by Sauber’s Adrian Sutil on the main straight gave rise to a contentious moment in the race. The stricken Sauber was parked horizontally on the straight which would ordinarily prompt an appearance from the safety car. Surprisingly, the race director chose to forego the safety car and opted for marshals to recover the car under double-waved yellow flags. Any situation in which marshals are required to venture onto the circuit is a safety risk which makes this decision controversial.

Behind the podium finishers the rest of the field put on an exhilarating show of wheel-to-wheel racing at its finest. Sebastian Vettel got the better of Fernando Alonso in a fabulous fight for fourth before Daniel Ricciardo continued a thrilling battle with the Spaniard. Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh ahead of McLaren’s Jenson Button. Kevin Magnussen recovered to ninth after his collision with Felipe Massa while Sergio Perez rounded out the top ten positions.

While all twenty-two Formula 1 drivers have by and large respected the rules and each other there have been too many instances in the past where the fear of a penalty curbed their eagerness to take the fight to each other. As a result the exhilarating fights throughout the field at Silverstone and in Germany are a direct result of the steward’s announcement that they would take a more lenient stance on dishing out penalties.

Daniil Kvyat’s race came to a fiery end as the rear-end of his Toro Rosso was engulfed by flames. Lotus Romain Grosjean’s difficult season continued as the Frenchman was forced into retirement with a suspected power unit issue.

If Lewis Hamilton was unsure about the prowess of his teammate before it is definitely not in doubt any longer. An unrelenting Nico Rosberg has extended his championship lead to fourteen points and what is particularly threatening is that he appears to have done it with disturbing ease.

July 22, 2014
F1 2014: German GP Qualifying – Rosberg Secures Home Pole

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has secured pole position for the German GP.

The major talking point of the qualifying session was the crash of Lewis Hamilton during the first session of qualifying. A brake disc failure pitched the Brit’s Mercedes into the wall and out of qualifying. Hamilton appeared to be uninjured after the incident but was taken the medical centre for checks. Hamiton’s crash momentarily brought out the red flag as marshals tended to recovering the damaged Mercedes.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen missed the cut in the second part of qualifying and will start the race in 12th position. Sergio Perez starred for the Force India team as he secured a spot in the top-ten shootout with seconds remaining on the clock. Jenson Button also failed to advance to the final part of the qualifying session.

Nico Rosberg appeared to be in firm control but still had to ward off the Williams of Valterri Bottas. The German was able to secure pole position with a relatively comfortable margin but not improve in his second run in Q3. The Finn will start tomorrow’s race on the front row of the grid after missing out on pole position by only two tenths of a second. Brazilian Felipe Massa will start 3rd and shares the second row with McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen.

July 19, 2014
F1 2014: German GP Free Practice 1 Report – Rosberg Tops

The first free practice session for the German grand prix got underway under glorious blue skies.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg topped the timing sheets ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

Williams development driver Susie Wolff completed her second outing for the British based team. However, the first lap out of the pits revealed an issue which required the Scottish driver to limp back to the pitlane in 1st gear. Thanfully, the engineers were able to sort out the issue and sent Wolff back out. Wolff completed a total of 22 laps and set a fastest time of 1:20:769, roughly two tenths slower than teammate Felipe Massa.

The session progressed without incident although Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was forced back into the pitlane early on with a water pump problem. The Finn, fully recovered from his heavy Silverstone crash, clocked the 8th fastest time overall.

Albeit the early stages of the weekend, the Red Bull pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo were able to set a relatively similar long run pace to that of Mercedes. The second free practice session will reveal a clearer picture of the pecking order for Sunday’s German GP.

July 18, 2014
F1 2014: German GP Preview – German or Englishman?

The battle for supremacy between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has been so enthralling that somehow the Formula 1 season is already on the cusp of its tenth round.

Hockenheim returns for the first time since 2012 to not only the new hybrid Formula but also to a new pecking order. In 2012, the Hockenheimring had its first introduction to both DRS and Pirelli tyres. Red Bull Racing and Lotus arrived at that grand prix as the likely podium contenders. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso won the race from Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen.

The circuit’s 4.574 km layout is a blend of long straights and final sector medium-speed corners. The hairpin in the first sector of the lap is a key area for overtaking which places commands good braking performance. Despite a relatively short lap driver and engineers need to strike a balance between top-speed and downforce. “You’d like to have the downforce for the stadium and to keep it steady on the brakes but equally you don’t want too much drag on the straights,” says Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo.

The final sector is not favourable for overtaking but the stadium section is a vital element to what makes the German GP unique. The decidedly muted sound of Formula 1 cars should make it possible to hear the cheering of the crowds, should a German driver be leading the race.

The driver’s will need to vigilant at the start of the race as the first corner tightens dramatically before opening up onto the straight. Although there is an expanse of run-off area a touching of wheels or front-wing is a high probability. Teams such as Ferrari will need to devote more time towards their qualifying pace in order to avoid starting mid-grid and the possibility of a first-lap incident.

Before then, the first one and a half hours of free practice will be the centre of attention as Williams’ development driver Susie Wolff gets another opportunity to participate in an official session. However, don’t expect any flashy laptimes from the Scot. The main aim is to run through Williams’ program which is geared towards set-up of the car rather than outright pace.

Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull didn’t have the pace to challenge for victory around the Hockenheimring two years ago and it’s not much is different in 2014. The reigning champion is unlikely to match the Mercedes but the Red Bull may have a better outing this weekend thanks to the aerodynamic demands of the final sector.

Out of the car the verbal digs continue between the two Mercedes drivers. Ahead of the German GP Lewis Hamilton noted that seeing as Nico Rosberg was raised in Monaco he could not consider himself German. Rosberg responded to his teammate by describing himself as “100% German.” It is clear that Hamilton is continuing his methodical psychological battle against Nico Rosberg as much out of the car as on the track. Some may think it’s nonsense and that the Brit should get on with driving. However, the make-up of Lewis Hamilton the racing driver dictates he exploits every possible advantage, in whichever form it is presented.

It was crucial for Hamilton to strike back at Silverstone and it will be an important long-term victory if he does the same this weekend. The biggest incentive for Lewis Hamilton to bring that same intensity to the track is the chance to take over the lead of the driver’s championship.

July 16, 2014