Grand Prix 2016 German Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

So onward to Germany, which is a pleasant surprise to me as I didn't think we were going to get a German Grand Prix for a while. Between dwindling fan attendance, dwindling TV audiences, a lack of funds for circuits and a certain Mr Ecclestone having various legal issues, it looked like Germany would be out in the wilderness for a while. But its not and we've come to race through the trees and forests of the legendary Hockenheimring........only we're not because they cut all the trees and forest section out back in 2002 (boo!). Hockenheim is currently a bit like the Worlds Strongest Man competition in that its all about the grunt. Its also as flat as a female Russian gymnast with the least elevation of any circuit on the calendar. What does all of this mean for the race? Well it will mean that Red Bull and Mclaren will take a step back from where they were in Hungary whilst Force India and Williams will take a step forward. It should suit the Mercedes team down to the ground meaning they should dominate from the front, unless of course Ferrari suddenly find the car potential we know they have but that seems a dim hope as the season goes on.

Ferrari are in a strange situation at the moment. Their engine is improved to pretty much match the Merc, its agreed that their car is better than last year and both their drivers are on form, but for whatever reason they are just not getting results. Hockenheim should be an ideal place to prove all of the former just as Baku was, however I wouldn't be surprised to see Vettel get another grid penalty and spend the race having to come back through the field already. As for the all conquering Mercedes its situation back to normal with Hamilton taking back the lead of the championship in the last round. Its very hard for anyone to argue he doesn't deserve to be there after a return to proper form from his dip (complacency?) at the beginning of the year. Rosberg made hay whilst the sun shone but you get the feeling now that his race may be run. I think Nico is fully aware that he is not as quick as Lewis and the only way he can beat Lewis is to get Lewis to beat himself. The more in the ascendancy he got the more Hamilton got frustrated and made errors, which of course meant Nico played a little dirty sometimes. Thats not worked and Lewis is back on top and showing a different side to his character. Rather than driving like Senna in Hungary he drove like Prost by taking a win in the slowest possible time he had too. Its saving engines which he lacks and is exceptionally smart, it also annoys the hell out of Nico and thus the tables are turned. I expect to see the same again in Germany if Lewis is out front with him backing Nico into the Ferrari's. The only way round this for Rosberg? Attempt a balls out move on Lewis, unfortunately though after the two collisions earlier this year I doubt very much he is brave enough to do that. Its very unfortunate for us because I think it means we're going to see some dull dull grand prixs just like the last two.

Elsewhere its worth keeping an eye on the Ricciardo/Verstappen in-fight which is swinging this way and that, although a certain Sky F1 commentator would have you believe everything Verstappen does is genius. I often wonder if David Croft ran unopposed to be elected president of the Max Verstappen fan club or whether he had competition. Its also worth keeping an eye on the continuing good form of Carlos Sainz who might get involved in a fight with his Red Bull big brothers given I expect the Torro Rosso to have more engine power.

Over at Renault, Hungary was the first time all season that KMag got thumped by Palmer. Is it a flash in the pan or has the tide turned. Expect lots of whinging messages at Mclaren from Button and Alonso as they are completely mugged down the straights and expect Wherlain to get a good start in the Manor and annoy the hell out of some drivers as they can't get past that Manor. Bottas will prob show a bit of form and be around the top 5, whilst Massa will look quick but not get a result. Perez will go long on tyres and be in the same place as Bottas. Meanwhile who knows whats going to happen at Sauber? Being as they've been bought out by what seems to be Marcu Ericsons investors I'm expecting him to get the best car but that likes saying he'll get the best punch in the face.

So Germany - we need a good race. We really do.
 
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This week I will mainly be watching old racing cars at Silverstone so you will have to live without my sparkling wit in chat during the race. I shall watch it on fast forward in the evening.
 
I'd prefer you on fast forward FB, can you make that happen?
Actually, I'd love to be sharing that Silverstone nostalgia with you, please take plenty of pics, I demand one of the Loxley Lozenge.
 
I will actually watch it when I get home, it's an addiction, even though it's entirely predictable. I always live in hope of an upset to give us an interesting race.

Actually if it rains it may not of even started by the time I get home LOL
 
Bill Boddy - I'm not sure. The typical "wet weekend" requires:
  • A practice session to be washed out, leading to complaints from teams who fail to grasp that the washout applied to everyone.
  • GP2 to be affected, to give the commentators something to talk about.
  • Drizzle in the pit lane during qualifying, which is too sparse to actually affect the track.
  • A huge rain storm on the evening before the race, allowing by-now desperate commentators to concentrate on the track not being "rubbered-in" for the duration of the race, when nothing appears to be occuring.
  • Drizzle on Sunday morning.
  • A dark cloud to appear over a grandstand at roughly 2:30, which then remains in the same position for the next hour. The camera will pan up to it periodically (especially if it is behind the twin grandstand at Sepang) allowing the director miss a daring overtake by a Toro Rosso on a Force India before they cut back to Hamilton toying with his team-mate.
  • Bonus points if that cloud then erupts at 4:10.
 
I won't be watching live this weekend either. So it could be very quiet on chat. (Big sigh of relief from everyone else)
:snigger:
 
In comparison of the 2 circuits old & new hockenheim. It is night & day the old one was brilliant loved the High speed run through the forest & then tough stadium section on low downforce. 1 of my favourite gps was rubens maiden victory in 2000. The new shorten one has never captured me.

Does anyone know a few questions

Why was circuit shortened considering we still race at spa & monza 2 similar circuits??

Also German gp thats turning in to a biannual event struggling is strange one because theirs all the "ingredients" for a success 2 title chasing drivers in Rosberg & Vettel. Dominant constuctor in Mercedes & real possibility of a German driver winning the German GP in a German car. Yet they only sold 50k race day tickets apparentlyHave they gone off the new track,were they Schumacher fans & not German fans. Or is it high prices
 
Personally I don't care what excuse they use for cutting the circuit. The worst thing for me is that the monument to Jim Clark now sits in the middle of a forest on part of an old decaying track, all but forgotten. That and the fact they ruined a great circuit.
 
Look at New Hockenheim without thinking about the Old Hockenheim, Jim Clark and the skinny wings. It's not bad. That first section is a decent overtaking sequence, and the stadium is still a challenge.

I don't mind it; it definitely lives under a shadow that it never can emerge from.
 
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