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 thought 07 was an absolutely great race here. It was the first time Hamilton had to show how he coped with adversity, all those cars hitting turn one and flying into the gravel. The safety car dodging a Torro Rosso. One car almost getting flattened by a tractor. Raikkonen's nurburgring luck continuing as he missed the pitlane. Eventually Marcus Whilnecock(?) ended up leading the race for Spyker for about one corner. Alonso coming back at Massa to snatch the lead. Hamilton 10th at the start of the last lap behind two Renaults....takes one! one position from points and...AND...nope. First race off the podium and out of the points. Aaahh, memories.

Great race, but they still shouldn't have put the red flag out though, Winklehock was doing fine on wet - weather tyres. Just because all the other teams were too short - sighted to put on extreme tyres, the red flag was used - the SC would have been completely adequate.

Rant over.
In my opinion, the GP-Nurburgring is better than Hockenheim - a couple of decent overtaking oppurtunities (and yes, the 1st slow section is better than the castrol-S, which used to really stretch the cars out, not bunch them up) and there are a few decent corners - not a patch on the original and the best, but not as bad as some people make out.
 
It's interesting that the Nordschliffe (around 13 miles +) has been able to host track days and 24hr endurance races without some bureaucrats (environmentalist or otherwise) chopping a chunk off the track whilst Hockenheim has been neutured apparently because it was tricky to film and difficult for modern F1 fans to follow (!?:rolleyes:) the GP on such a long track (4 miles +). In my view the little Nurburgring has only come into its own because Hock' was subjected to that criminal act of vandalism. Yes, races there haven't been "bad" but that's been thanks to the dodgy weather rather than what's left of the circuit ... and, yes, I know some people didn't actually like the long circuit because ... oh ....:thinking:..... overtaking on the long straights was too easy!!!??? Wha...?:o

Thought I'd have a rant, today. That's it. Over now.:) I'm all better.
 
They cut Hockenheim up because they were only lapping the circuit about 42 times before...and they now at least have some over-taking spots.

I actually have gone to Hockenheim to attend the German GP in the past...You saw the cars blast by...but then you didn't see them for another 2 minutes*...and only another 40 times...and not much over-taking spots.

Not exactly value for money.

* I'm exaggerating but you get the point.
 
I just threw on Europe 2007 to refresh the memory and was instantly reminded of Hamilton's high speed crash there. After last weekend's fiasco at the right-front, I hope none of the Macca boys see this clip.

 
Here's another challenge for you, Keke, and your video finding skills. How about a "Who's Lost Their Nuts" thread? There's a few classic cases of the wobbly wheels over the years. Alonso in the Renault for example (was that in Oz? Can't remember).
 
To get back on thread (slightly tenuously) - there's always the Nurburgring 1999 "where's Eddie's wheels?" incident in the Ferrari garage :snigger:
 
Excuse my ignorance with regard to this legendary track, but are the Nordschleife/Sudschleife/ New Nurburgring in the same area/ linked? Google maps is completely useless at showing any other than the new track.

You have seen the GP/F track and Nordschleife linked, here's Sudschleife.

sudschleife-map.jpg


Sadly most of this has now been lost and a lot of it is un-accessible.
 
They cut Hockenheim up because they were only lapping the circuit about 42 times before...and they now at least have some over-taking spots.

I actually have gone to Hockenheim to attend the German GP in the past...You saw the cars blast by...but then you didn't see them for another 2 minutes*...and only another 40 times...and not much over-taking spots.

Not exactly value for money.

* I'm exaggerating but you get the point.

Pretty much the same story at Spa, except for the fact that there are over-taking spots.
But you only see them for 44 times +1 parade lap and +1 formation lap
And that for one of the most expensive GP's on the calender.

I was waiting and waiting when Raikkonen won in 2007, to cheer the shit out of him. But then it hit me...........they don't do a victory lap at Spa.:givemestrength:
 
I hope we see an entire wet race, but a dry saturday so that we can truly see if Ferrari can caught Red Bull. Does anyone know what technical updates the teams are bringing? McLaren are going to need some if they're going to stay above Mercedes.
 
Enjoyed the preview page of the nurnbergring, the track is absolutely fabulous and should make for plenty gung ho racing, High speed, Hairpins and Chicanes, would love to play this track on F1 2011
 
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