With visits to Mugello and the Nurburgring it is all but confirmed that old school circuits far outclass the passionless supermarket car parks that pass as F1 circuits these days.

The Nurburgring, back in the line-up for the first time since 2013, is a proper challenge to car and driver with the peril of gravel lurking just beyond the edge of the circuit. Friday’s practice sessions were cancelled to due fog and the subsequent inability of the medical helicopter to fly should it be needed. The absence of running on Friday, and extremely cold conditions, heightened the challenge on an already highly technical circuit.

Nevertheless, Valtteri Bottas was able to secure pole position ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc drove an outstanding lap too to qualify fourth fastest for Ferrari. Saturday morning also brought the announcement that Lance Stroll would be unable to drive for the rest of the weekend due to illness, not Covid related. In stepped super-sub Nico Hulkenberg who had subbed for Checo Perez at Silverstone several races ago.

Miraculously, the rain held off for all of Sunday which left Bottas a clear run into turn one. He momentarily lost the lead to Hamilton but steamed around the outside of turn one to retake P1 while Verstappen followed behind in third. Bottas’s aggression came as a bit of surprise given his reputation of not getting his elbows out when it matters most. Unfortunately, the Finn’s ascendency was short-lived as he locked up into turn one on lap 13 and allowed Hamilton into the lead of the race. While Verstappen was keeping relatively close in third the top three quickly gapped fourth placed Leclerc. The lofty heights of fourth have been uncharted territory for Ferrari in 2020 and it didn’t last very long at the Nurburgring either as Daniel Ricciardo quickly dispatched of Leclerc. It was even worse for Vettel who spun off at turn one while running outside of the points. Vettel was forced into the pits to get rid of his flat-spotted tyres while Kimi Raikkonen, in his 323^rd race, locked up into turn one and careened into the side of George Russell. The Williams drive was forced into retirement with rear suspension damage while Raikkonen was handed a ten-second penalty for causing a collision.

As if surrendering the lead of the race wasn’t bad enough for Bottas it got a whole lot worse on lap 18 retired from the race with a lack of power. The retirement decimated even the smallest chance that Bottas had to win the title. It did prompt an enticing battle for the final step on the podium with Ricciardo, Lando Norris, and Sergio Perez well within range of snapping it up. While Verstappen was cruising in second Alex Albon’s difficulties at Red Bull continued as he wiped the front-wing off Daniil Kvyat’s car by pulling in front of the Alpha Tauri before being completely clear of him. For what can only be described as a rather embarrassing driver error Albon was given a five-second penalty for the incident. It all came to naught though as he too retired from the grand prix with a mechanical issue. He was followed a lap later by Renault’s Esteban Ocon who retired with a hydraulic failure.

Though Verstappen was able to keep Hamilton within six seconds the gap behind the leading duo was heading towards a minute. Ricciardo, running third, in turn held a healthy gap over Norris but the McLaren driver still fancied his chances at third place. It wasn’t to be though as a sensor issue put paid to his race.  Norris’s retirement on lap 44 brought out the safety car and set up a ten-lap sprint to the chequered flag. Hamilton and Verstappen pitted while Ricciardo, Perez, and Sainz too followed suit into the pitlane. The Safety Car was a saving grace for Ricciardo who was facing a near impossible task of keeping Perez, on fresh tyres, at bay.

There was little Verstappen could do in second to challenge Hamilton who secured a record-equaling 91^st race win. Ricciardo’s third place finish is the first for Renault since 2011 while Sergio Perez came home in fourth ahead of Sainz in fifth. Pierre Gasly churned out another solid drive in sixth as Charles Leclerc salvaged seventh for Ferrari. Nico Hulkenberg completed only a handful of laps in qualifying before the race and finished a stunning eighth after qualifying 20^th. Romain Grosjean scored his first points of the season in ninth ahead of Antonio Giovinazzi in tenth. The two former teammates Vettel and Raikkonen finished 11^th and 12^th.

The achievement of Michael Schumacher’s 91 race wins seemed a near impossible record to break. Lewis Hamilton’s win in Germany equals that staggering number but there is no doubt whatsoever that it will be surpassed in the coming weeks. Some will always put the Mercedes forward as the reason for Hamilton’s unfathomable success. They would be right but it simply doesn’t tell the whole story. To maintain the motivation and desire and level of skill that he has must be commended. The Schumacher family too recognized Hamilton’s incredible achievement with a presentation of Schumacher’s 2012 Mercedes helmet by son, Mick Schumacher.