Grand Prix 2011 German Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

It's turning out to be a strange old season

Mixed conditions and poor pit stops paved the way to an enthralling race, while it had one of the lowest overtaking figures of the year, it certainly showed that overtaking isn't the be all and end all of grand prix racing, however the two Mclaren drivers showed that overtaking can be exciting.

Of the runners and riders, Ferrari have made the biggest gain and maybe, just maybe, Red Bull have lost their monopoly over the top step of the podium and we might finally have a championship, however I'm sure I have said this after China and Canada.......

The curious case of Mclaren continued apace this weekend as they had no pace, found pace and then lost it again. In the changeable conditions at the start of the race, Hamilton and Button charged through the field until the dry conditions when the natural order reasertied themselves, however, it is hard to see how they really showed in fully dry conditions as Button lost a wheel nut early on and Hamilton had to fuel save for the latter part of the race.

Going into the German Grand Prix, Red Bull will understandably be favourites as Sebastian Vettel looks to extend his lead at the top of the championship as he continues in his quest for back to back champions (and the youngest to do so before I'm mistaken) but he'll have to fight off a resurgant Mark Webber who is finally challenging his team mate again after a slow start to the season after he struggled to acclimatise to the Pirelli tyres, he was also stung by the team orders at the end of the last Grand Prix, so you can't bet against him for at least a podium position next weekend.

Renault seem to have disappeared after a strong start to the season, Vitaly Petrov seems to have fallen back into 2010 mode after a strong start to the season. Nick Heidfeld has fared better recently and still features in the lower ends of the points, however a podium seems a long way away, a theory solidified as their side exhausts have had to be abandonded due to the propsed rules, however with the debate going on at the moment, this may not be the case after all.

Mercedes seem to have found pace recently, Rosberg is constintely in the midle of the points while Schumacher seems more like himself again, in more ways than one.......... But at his home grand prix, he will be keen to show that he still has it, along with a large number of German drivers, the most represented country on the grid, so many people will be keen to show that they are the best German on the grid.

Team lotus made it into Q2 again which is a major achievment for them and shows that they are getting closer to the midfield and their major goal of getting points before the end of the year so they can beat Virgin and Hispania.

This year we return to the Nurburgring as part of the deal is that the circuit alternates with Hockenheim, last time we were there was in 2009 where Mark Webber won his first grand prix in the Red Bull. In recent memory Nurburgring will be best remembered for the crazy race in 2007 where a heavy rain shower caused havoc at the start of the race and famously allowed Markus Winkelhock to lead the race in his Spyker, joining the elite of people who led a race in their first (and only race)

For Galahad's excellent circuit write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/nurburgring/
 
I do think Alonso looks rather ominous actually, It's worth noting that on top of his fastest time on the softs, he was also fastest among those who lapped with the mediums on.
 
It has been like that a few times this season that Alonso has done well in the practise sessions, though he like all Ferrari or Alonso fans will hope that commeth Qualification tomorrow, he is still on top of the pops.

It is a nice cherry to have and is encouraging but you never really know who and what is running.
 
You can't read too much into a practice session, but the balance of power with F1 is such a predictable thing that we become accustomed to it, so when there is a shift in the balance of power it tends to catch us all by surprise.
Constancy of lap times under varying tyre/conditions etc is a pretty good indicator though, and with the sort of updates Ferrari brought to the rear of their car in Silverstone, my gut feeling is a shift in the balance of power is exactly what we're currently witnessing. The current Ferrari with what is an almost entirely new rear section, has to be viewed as what is effectively a "B-spec" version of the model that started the season.

Too late of course for a shot at the title but the season's second half should be interesting.
 
Apparently McLaren were testing a new exhaust on Button's car in FP2 and it has proven to be another failed upgrade so they'll be removing it before FP3.
 
I think from the 2 practice sessions today(and I know you shouldn't judge anything from practice) that the Red Bulls and Ferrari's are out in front of the rest of the field. I think when it comes to the actual race as we've seen before that the Mclaren's will be able to just about stay with them but if the exhaust upgrade they tried today really didn't work well then realisticly Lewis and Jenson are looking at picking off Massa and then Webber. They've also got to be looking over their shoulder at the Mercs.

Interesting that there wasn't that much difference between Heidfeld and Petrov with one running the new package and the other running the old and also intersting that the Saubers are well down. Force India's chance to nick some points this weekend maybe?
 
It may have been too cold for the Saubers to get the tyres 'switched on'. I'd be surprised if the Mercs can get close to McLaren - they've gone a long way backwards since China - but it's hard to judge based on Friday times. FP3 should give a better indication of raw speed.
 
Apparently McLaren were testing a new exhaust on Button's car in FP2 and it has proven to be another failed upgrade so they'll be removing it before FP3.

I'll reserve judgement till FP3 but it doesn't look good. Presumably Hamilton was running Silverstone spec (without hot blowing restrictions) and he ended the session over a full second behind Webber.

Button is always complaining about rear end stability. They should've given it to Hamilton to trial but he probably would've crashed the car*

*sarcasm
 
As far as I'm aware, everyone is back running Valencia spec' again, with no restrictions on blowing, hot or cold.
 
It will be very interesting to see qualification though........"are Redbull bluffing", "are Ferrari faster", "will McLaren fire or missfire", "which midfield team will upset"
 
If the McLarens were bringing new updates capable of pushing them forward relative to RBR and Ferrari (and Mercedes) I suspect we will have seen it working. If the new exhaust tested by Button was it then I suspect this is going to be a more painful weekend for the boys than Silverstone

All we can do is hope Webber wins or that Seb breaks his finger and has to have it bandaged up for the podium
 
Mercs have always looked better in quali than the race and this is Germany so imagine they'll turn it on for their big home stand. If Rosberg or Schui have a good quali and jump either of the Macca's at the start them Red Bulls and Ferrari's will be over the hills and far away before Mclaren's tactical office have even said 'right we need a new plan'.
 
Well it is all if's and but's,...but to be honest the rear wing that McLaren tampered with when they were looking so good was the wrong move.
 
I don't think Massa will move over this time. I'll bet CAN $ 10,000 Massa won't hand a win to Alonso at Hockenheim if he's legitimately able to win.

I have two main reasons why and i'm willing to bet heavilly on it.
 
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