On Sunday 22 July 2018, the German Grand Prix makes its return after a season's absence from the F1 World Championship calendar. The race returns to the Hockenheimring track, which also hosted the last edition, in 2016. 35 Grands Prix valid for the F1 World Championship have already taken place on this track, the first in 1970. The circus comes to this eleventh appointment with the attention turned to the challenge that is involving Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton in the run-up to winning the fifth World Champion title. After winning at Silverstone, the German driver of the Scuderia Ferrari arrives at the appointment in Germany at the top of the standings of the Drivers' World Championship, with 171 points against 163 for his rival. The sensations coming from both sides are conflicting: on the one hand, Mercedes is in a recovery phase, and is producing a new power unit, which should already guarantee power. In this regard, the German company, through a press release, informs that:
"At the start of the season, the team wanted to make sure the power unit was reliable. Since reliability must be demonstrated on the dyno, we usually apply a more conservative approach to have a product capable of completing the required mileage. Once a reliable foundation has been established, all subsequent long runs the engine undergoes focus on trying to get more power. During those tests, the team is therefore led to push the power unit a little more on the dyno. This is a well-calibrated process, since we aim to find the exact limits (of the power unit) without exceeding them, knowing that if we go beyond them, there is still a tested configuration on the track".
And Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirms:
"We didn't collect the points we hoped for in the three consecutive Grands Prix. Much of this is due to our own mistakes, but there is a positive side: even if we didn't maximize the points, we took the fastest car to all three races. Hockenheim will mark the crossroads of the 2018 season. We had a good first part. On the one hand, we threw away points and we had to limit the damage more often than we would have liked. On the other hand, we still scored a good amount of points, both drivers showed great performances and we have a fast car, so there are many reasons why we are looking forward to the second half of the 2018 season, we are hungry , ambitious and we want to start from here. Going to Hockenheim is always like coming home, it's about a 90 minute drive from the Daimler HQ in Stuttgart. We can't wait to welcome the German members of the Mercedes family to the circuit and to keep the three-pointed star flying high on our home circuit. The track itself is very interesting, it has many curves to tackle at different speeds and will put every aspect of the car to the test. We will fight hard not only to give a good show to our friends and fans at Hockenheim, but also to achieve the result we aspire to".
On the other hand, Sebastian Vettel is in a completely different mood, who on the eve of the German Grand Prix, after the success achieved at Silverstone, responds to the controversies triggered by the accusations - later retracted - by Mercedes of voluntarily causing accidents at the start.
"I don't think there is much to say. What was said was pretty silly stuff. But we are in a competition, it happens that we hit each other without doing anything intentionally, but we are also happy to express our opinion, even if it is not fair or reasonable. We are human people, so it happens. It's been two weeks, it's time to move on. I agree that Mercedes were quicker in the last few races, even though we were on the same level in qualifying at Silverstone. In the race we had more or less the same pace, and this is positive. In the previous two tracks they were a bit stronger. We will see how things develop here, we have brought updates to Silverstone which have worked. It's a constant chasing race, we have a great car and a lot of potential to make it better".
Then, speaking of the reinstatement of the German Grand Prix in the World Championship calendar, Sebastian Vettel says:
"I fear this may be the last time for some time from what I have heard. It would be a shame to lose one of the most classic races. This area means so much to me and it would be nice to have a weekend here, it would create excitement. I hope that in Germany they have kept the flags - despite the bad World Cup - and can bring them here for me and Nico (Hulkenberg). It should be sold out and I can't wait, if there is a chance to win, I want to win. And if that helps keep the GP alive that would be a bonus. It would be great to come back here next year or the year after. When something happens for the first time there is always a lot of enthusiasm. In Germany Michael (Schumacher) was the one who made F1 popular and brought it into everyone's homes. In other countries like the UK there is always great enthusiasm, now in the Netherlands there is a certain boom. In Germany Michael caused the initial boom and at one point we had 5-6-8 riders on the grid. Now it's me and Nico, but there are always ups and downs. It's true, the Germans are hard to get excited about. I hope that - given the failure in football - people have saved up money and barbecues to come here on a camping trip".
Returning to Hockenheim after two years also means competing on this circuit for the first time with the new single-seaters:
"It should be more fun, the cars are faster, especially in the corners. There are high-speed corners here, there is Turn 1, the entry into the section of the stadium where we will have more fun, and also in the middle of the track. And we should be more competitive. In general, we will go faster, also thanks to the Ultrasoft tyres, even if I don't know how to quantify it".
The differences compared to 2016 also concern Ferrari's competitiveness. But Sebastian Vettel is keen to specify that:
"The team is still growing, it is continuing to improve. We are continuing to get stronger, we have a beautiful group of people, a beautiful combination in our team. We got stuck that year and couldn't progress. Since then we have always grown, with 2017 and the change of rules there was the possibility of resuming the teams in front and from that moment we have recovered a lot of pace and improved the car. We lacked a little pace at the beginning of the year, but we learned and managed to do better. The car has potential".
If he wants to win his fifth title, Sebastian Vettel will have to be careful of Kimi Raikkonen's ambitions, who on the eve of the German Grand Prix says he intends to enrich his personal palmares:
"Winning the title? Certainly, I don't know how many points of detachment I have, certainly many. But before it all ends there are still many possibilities, then it will depend on many factors. We have to do our best every weekend to then see where we'll be at the end of the year. Angry about the Mercedes controversy? No. I think it all started at the press conference, I don't know exactly where. It's all over for me now, and I'm not interested at all".
In addition to the on-track battle between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, there was much talk in the weeks leading up to the German Grand Prix about the future of Mercedes drivers. There has been talk of a possible future for Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari, or a replacement for Valtteri Bottas in Mercedes. However, on Thursday 19 July 2018, the Anglo-German team dismisses all kinds of rumors by confirming the renewal of the contract with the four-time World Champion, who told the media at Hockenheim:
"The renewal has been a formality ever since Toto and I met for a nice chat this winter. Having put pen to paper is important, so now we can concentrate 100% with what awaits us on the track. I have been part of the Mercedes family for 20 years and I have never felt as comfortable within a team as I do right now. We are not satisfied and satisfied, we want to continue to win and improve ourselves. I can't wait to give my all and experience the great goals we will achieve in the next two years in between. Mercedes is the right place to be to keep winning".
And Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff adds:
"There is nothing more to say about Lewis Hamilton, his statistics speak for him. We had been in agreement since the winter, but the road to formalizing the contract was long. Once set up, we didn't want to wait a day longer to make it official. In addition to the driver, I'm getting to know Hamilton more and more as a man. The desire he has to improve himself, the loyalty he has shown towards the team and his intelligence are out of the ordinary. Hamilton and Mercedes are a well-established pairing and I'm sure their story still has important chapters to write".
Lewis Hamilton points out, however, that he had actually been approached by another team - most likely Ferrari - to pursue his career elsewhere. But the British driver's decision was to continue with the company that was the first to believe in his potential:
“I have been contacted by another team, but I won't tell you which one. The negotiations took a bit longer because of me actually. But I've been in Mercedes since I was 13. I really appreciated the patience Toto had with me, because I know I don't have an easy temper. Most people wouldn't have given me that much time to decide, but this shows the trust that exists between us. We were discussing whether to conclude a two-year or three-year agreement, but Formula 1 will change in 2021, and I'm interested to see what happens. A commitment to the unknown made no sense. Commercially it could change everything, and I didn't want to put myself in a dead end. It was my strategic decision. We started trading at the start of the year, then a few months later, then a couple more days and I put it off. I had a contract ready, then Toto and I met at home and we sorted everything out, during the Monaco race. Then the lawyers took over, and it took some time. Right now there are very good reasons to stay in the sport, but in two years my life could be totally different, and I could want completely different things".
And Sebastian Vettel congratulates Lewis Hamilton on the just announced contract renewal:
"Congratulations to him, I don't know why it took so long since the situation seemed to be clear enough, but I have no reaction. It doesn't matter much to me what others do, it matters to me what I do. I know where I am, I know what my mission is, I know what I want to achieve and honestly that's the only thing that matters to me. Obviously I would like it to continue, but to opposite results. All battles are always good and it's always great when they happen at the top. This year we have six cars fighting for wins, and it's better than in the past. Years ago even more cars took to the podium and fought for victories. It would be great to close the gap, in 2019 there will be a small change, in 2020 it will be more stable and in 2021 we will see. Lewis has been one of the best since he arrived in F1, and since he's one of the best, it's always nice to fight with him".
Once the Hamilton-Mercedes argument has been settled, attention shifts to the Scuderia Ferrari, where contract renewals continue to be discussed. In fact, it is not yet clear who will be Sebastian Vettel's partner in 2019. In the paddock there are rumors of a possible promotion of Charles Leclerc, the current Sauber driver. In the meantime, however, the German driver seems to have clear ideas about what he would like for himself:
"I don't know, I don't know Charles very much. I know him for the program that he is doing. but Kimi is Finnish, Charles is French, indeed Monegasque, so they are quite different. I like Kimi, we get along well, we've never had a problem. Sometimes on the track I remember hitting him, but we handle things in a very similar way, very direct and linear. It's great to work with him and it's great for the team. But these are not decisions that are up to me, we'll see what happens".
On Friday 20 July 2018, the Mercedes team announces that it has also renewed the contact with Valtteri Bottas, extending it for another year. Says the Finnish driver, euphoric:
"It's great news and it's nice to announce here in Hockenheim that I'll be racing for Mercedes again in 2019. Not only because it's the team's home race, but because this is the circuit where I won my first single-seater race in 2007 This year, with a winter in which I was able to prepare well, I was able to take a good step forward, and I think I can improve even more. So far we haven't been so lucky in the first races of the year, but the team knows how I'm working and this is a great sign of confidence in me. I like working with the team and also being a teammate of Lewis. We have a good relationship, honest and direct, and we always aim to get the right results for Mercedes. At the moment, we have a big battle to fight, so it's nice to have a clear future for everyone: it means we can focus fully on fighting for the championship. Obviously, my aim is to continue to perform at a high level, and to make the decision easier for the team for 2020".
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is also excited about the renewal of Valtteri Bottas' contract:
"We are very pleased to have extended Valtteri's contract with Mercedes for at least one more season, and to be able to confirm an unchanged driver line-up for 2019 ahead of our home race at Hockenheim. Valtteri's performances have been excellent this season and if it weren't for our mistakes and his bad luck, he could now lead the Drivers' Championship. When we made the decision to confirm him for 2019, it was not only his undoubted speed and work ethic that convinced us, but also a matter of character. His relationship with the team, including Lewis, is open and trusting, without reservations. These are the ingredients you need when battling strong rivals in both leagues and they reflect the values within the team. I am very happy to have kept Valtteri in the team and I am looking forward to many more successes together with him".
On the eve of the German Grand Prix, the FIA modifies the areas in which the DRS can be used, with the addition of a third area: the novelty is the first area, established between Sudkurve and Nordkurve (in practice along the straight 'finish), with a point for determining the gap between riders identified after turn 16; the second zone is located between curves 1 and 2, which however maintains the same detection point as the first zone. The third is confirmed along the Parabolika, the stretch between turn 4 and turn 6, with the detection point established at the exit of turn 4. This new area in which the DRS can be activated has been criticized by the drivers, as, as happened at Silverstone, as they believe no one will use the device, for safety reasons. Furthermore, the Federation appoints former F1 driver Mika Salo as assistant commissioner for the race.
The Finn has already performed this function in the past, most recently at the 2017 United States Grand Prix. For this race, Pirelli, sole tire supplier, chooses the Medium, Soft and Ultrasoft compound. For this race, the Italian company offers a leap in compound, between the Soft and the Ultrasoft. Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director, declares:
"This race is quite an unknown, given that many factors have changed from 2016 to today, including the single-seaters, the entire range and tire sizes. Instead, the Hockenheim circuit has remained practically the same as it was two years ago. For this race, just like in China, the nomination features a compound 'jump', in order to have an equal gap between the performance of the three nominated compounds. Also thanks to this factor, in Shanghai we witnessed a really interesting grand prix also from a strategic point of view and we hope that this can be repeated in Germany as well. Free practice will be particularly significant for the teams who will have to familiarize themselves with this track again and understand how to make the best use of the tyres".
Before the start of free practice, the third MGU-K, the third battery pack and the third control unit were mounted on Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull Racing. This entails a penalty of 20 positions on the starting grid. The team, on the other hand, postponed the decision on replacing the engine as well. In the first free practice session on Friday Nicholas Latifi will take the place of Esteban Ocon at Force India, while Antonio Giovinazzi that of Marcus Ericsson at Sauber. Friday 20 July 2018 Daniel Ricciardo sets the best time in the first session. The Australian driver leads Lewis Hamilton by just 0.004 seconds, setting a time just 0.2 seconds faster than the track record. In third place is Max Verstappen, ahead of Sebastian Vettel and the two Finns Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen. The first six riders mark times in less than 0.8 seconds. Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton try the Ultrasoft tyres, while Vettel opts for the Soft compound. Behind the first six are three other cars equipped with Ferrari engines. Nico Hülkenberg is the author of a track exit, without however damaging his single-seater, thanks to the large escape route. On Antonio Giovinazzi's Sauber, on the other hand, the bonnet on the left side detached immediately upon exiting the pits. For technical reasons Stoffel Vandoorne also rides very little. During FP2, with a time of 1'13"085, Max Verstappen sets the new track record. However, the Red Bull Racing driver was forced to interrupt the race simulation he was carrying out due to problems with the power unit. Behind the Dutchman are the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. The Scuderia Ferrari drivers, on the other hand, concentrated more on finding the best set-up for the race, finishing in fourth and fifth fastest time. Romain Grosjean follows in sixth place, while Daniel Ricciardo is only thirteenth and author of a spin. At the end of the first day of testing, Max Verstappen admits that the result of the tests was more than positive for Red Bull Racing, but he hopes that this competitiveness can also emerge in qualifying:
"It was a pretty positive Friday and the car worked well. For the moment we are very competitive, but we have to do it again tomorrow. And we know that succeeding is always difficult. Rain dance? We'll see, in fact it would be nice to have some wet sessions. Let's wait to understand what the weather will be like in qualifying and the race".
And Daniel Ricciardo, who was already fast in FP1, confirms:
"This morning we worked with a light fuel load to feel the car better, while in FP2 we concentrated on the long runs to get ready for Sunday. Considering the penalty, it was the logical thing to do. The race pace is very good and I'm happy. We'll see on Sunday, but... If I'm twentieth, maybe I'll finish first".
It was a rather strange first day of testing for Scuderia Ferrari. Not surprisingly, Sebastian Vettel believes that Ferrari can be competitive, but there is still something to fix:
"We tried to do a little bit of everything, obviously you can't do everything, but I think we made the right tire choices. We also did some cross-comparisons and it went well. Now we have to see what we'll find, we are still missing something on the flying lap compared to the others but we can improve. I'm still not happy with the lap I did with the Ultrasoft tyres, but the car is going well and I think we can still earn a little more".
Instead, what worries Lewis Hamilton is the heat and possibly the sprint from the starting grid, in the race:
"We're trying not to leave anything to chance when it comes to the start. From temperatures to tyres, we want to be ready for the start of the Grand Prix. Both Ferrari and Red Bull were very quick today, and I expect them to be the same tomorrow and on Sunday. It's not an easy circuit in which to find the ideal compromise for the car, so we'll have to do our best to win. Today the temperatures were really high, if it's like this in the race too, we'll have to grit our teeth in the cockpit".
The British driver also talks about an increase in the performance of the Maranello cars, especially on the straights:
"They were very fast on the straights. The thing I find very interesting is that they haven't fitted a new engine, but suddenly they have much more power. So it will be interesting to understand if they will still have it tomorrow".
Kimi Raikkonen also turns his attention to the very high temperatures recorded in Germany, indicating what choices could be made for the race:
"I think certainly if the temperature stays this hot, it could be a key point. But tomorrow there could be quite different conditions. We'll see how it will be on Sunday, if it's this hot it will be like in Austria: tires put to the test and whoever does the best job will certainly have an advantage. You have to have a good package at the same time, as always it is a combination of various factors".
For the first time in many years, Valtteri Bottas arrives in the middle of the championship with a contract already signed for the following year. A very important psychological advantage for the Finnish driver:
"It's the first time I get to this point of the season with the next year already planned. Naturally I will have less pressure on me, I think this situation is the best for the team to focus fully on our goals. Toto Wolff came to talk to me at Silverstone and here we are with a signed contract. I'm one of few words, with me it's quick".
However, there were problems and concerns. In terms of driving, Valtteri Bottas has encountered some problems:
"We have to find a solution because I suffer a lot in the slow corners and at medium speed. We are all very close, so every detail could make the difference. However, it's only Friday, I'm sure we'll find the ideal compromise to best balance the car. We overheated the tires a little too much today, but it also happened to our direct rivals. We will thoroughly analyze the data collected today to try not to suffer too much in the race".
McLaren has brought numerous updates to the car to Germany, but Fernando Alonso is hoping for help from the weather, to try to get a good performance in the race:
"We had a lot of new things to test and this probably compromised our final result. We weren't in bad shape on the last Fridays, but it's a matter of two or three tenths and here at Hockenheim we paid for this difference against our opponents. We hope to reverse the situation in qualifying, if there is some rain we will be able to take risks that we are ready to take, a bet that could lead us to a good result".
Stoffel Vandoorne confirms the non-positive sensations within the team:
"It's like there's something wrong with the car. It was the worst Friday I've had in a long time, we will have to analyze the data thoroughly to find the source of the problem. If it were to rain today, it would certainly be excellent news for us".
During FP3 Charles Leclerc set the fastest time, followed by his teammate Marcus Ericsson and the Russian Sergej Sirotkin. With pouring rain, in the first 50 minutes of the session only Nico Hülkenberg had set a valid time (with Carlos Sainz Jr. spun), while, in the remaining 10 minutes, nine other drivers recorded a timed time, with Sebastian Vettel set the fourth fastest time, while Kimi Räikkönen finished in eighth place. The Mercedes and Red Bull drivers did not register any time. The drivers of both teams prefer to keep the wet tires for qualifying. Contrary to what was feared in the morning, the qualifying session takes place on a dry track, even if the sides of the track and the kerbs are still full of water. In the first phase of the session, the drivers of the second tier teams try to set valid times, before being overtaken by Kimi Räikkönen. The Finn is in turn preceded by his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, who sets the track record. The times of the two Mercedes drivers, on the other hand, aren't enough to worry the Maranello team. Even further away are the Red Bull Racing drivers, while Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen continue to compete for the best time of the session. Nico Hülkenberg takes sixth place, followed by Romain Grosjean in fourth place. The good competitiveness of the cars powered by Ferrari is demonstrated by the sixth place of Charles Leclerc. Two minutes from the end of the session, the two Force India drivers, Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez, are out of qualifying, while Lewis Hamilton turns around in the Motodrome. In the final phase of Q1 Carlos Sainz Jr. improves, while Lance Stroll and Stoffel Vandoorne are not capable of it.
Shortly afterwards Sergio Pérez sets a valid time to avoid exclusion from Q2, while Lewis Hamilton stops the car due to a hydraulic problem, which occurred after he passed on the curb, which forced him to abandon qualifying. The Briton also tries, in vain, to push the single-seater into the pits. Esteban Ocon, the two Scuderia Toro Rosso cars driven by Pierre Gasly and Brentdon Hartley, Lance Stroll and Stoffel Vandoorne, did not make it to Q2. The two Haas drivers, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen are the first to set a valid time in Q2, before being overtaken in the standings by Valtteri Bottas. Shortly afterwards the session was interrupted by the use of red flags due to an accident involving Marcus Ericsson, who ended up in the escape route at the Motodrom. The Swede is capable of getting the single-seater back on track, but the track needs cleaning. The Swede is also the first to look for a time, when the session is restarted. Max Verstappen, who opted for the use of the Supersoft tyres, after having assumed the use of the Softs, set a time just 0.036 seconds higher than that of Valtteri Bottas. At the end of the second phase, Fernando Alonso, Sergej Sirotkin, Marcus Ericsson are eliminated, as well as Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo, who take part in Q2. The Australian makes this choice because, due to the penalties for replacing various technical components, he finds himself starting last. In the final stage, Kimi Räikkönen immediately sets a reference time of 1'11"880, improved, with a time of 1'11"539, by Sebastian Vettel. The Mercedes driver, Valtteir Bottas, enters second position, 0.170 seconds from the time set by Sebastian Vettel, while Max Verstappen sets a time of 1'11"822.
Carlos Sainz Jr. fails his first attempt, while Sergio Pérez looking for just one quick lap, Kimi Räikkönen then moved into second position, before Valtteri Bottas clocked a record time of 1'11"416. A few moments later, however, the Finnish Mercedes driver was again preceded by Sebastian Vettel, who set a time of 1'11"212. At the last attempt, Max Verstappen passed Kevin Magnussen again; the Haas thus monopolized the third row, something that never happened in his history in the World Championship.For Sebastian Vettel it is the fifty-fifth pole position, the second in his home Grand Prix, after that of 2010. At the end of qualifying, the German driver was elated, and told the media:
"First of all, many thanks for all the people who came here to support me. I hope I can repeat myself again tomorrow. It's nice to see so many German and Ferrari flags all over the track. In Q1 I already felt that the car could do something special here. I had the feeling, but I had to put it to use on the track. I kept improving lap after lap, I knew I still had something and it was great to squeeze everything in the last lap. I have so much adrenaline in my body and I'm very happy. I think it wasn't an easy day, this morning we woke up and there were clouds and a lot of rain. It was surprising how quickly the track dried and in qualifying the car was a pleasure to drive. I felt, as sometimes happens, that after each fast lap I still had something in my hand, something that can allow you to play for an important goal. That was the feeling I had today, I kept improving and I knew I just had to do the lap. Sometimes I managed to put in a good lap, sometimes I didn't, but I knew coming out of Q2 that I could expect something more, both from the car and from myself. I managed to do it and I'm very happy with both laps I did. At some point, when you feel the adrenaline pumping inside you it's a good feeling. I'm very happy with the car and the work we did during the night to try and squeeze something more out of the car. The sensations are of great speed on this track with these cars, it is really pleasant".
Furthermore, for Vettel, this result has a special value, because it was obtained in his Germany:
"Doing it here, just a few minutes from where I'm from and where I grew up in the sport, means so much. Thank you all so much for the support everyone has given me this weekend, seeing all these fans with red caps and German flags waving all over the track was really beautiful and I can't wait for tomorrow".
Valtteri Bottas, who will start from second position, immediately turns his attention towards the race:
"I think I did an almost perfect lap, I gave everything but they were faster than us. We'll see tomorrow. The start will be crucial, we will have the same compounds and we will be close in terms of race pace. It was a tough battle for pole, in the end Ferrari was simply faster than us. Above all Sebastian had a really good lap. If I could do my lap again I would certainly have been able to chew a few cents here and there, a tenth at most, but I think he was simply faster. I had a good lap, especially in the last sector, I was missing something in the first attempt in Q3, but the feeling with the car was quite positive. So I can't complain about the result".
Kimi Raikkonen will start from third position, as he made a mistake in qualifying in his last valid attempt:
"I made a small mistake on the first attempt, went sideways and that wasn't ideal. In the second I went a little more cautious because of that mistake. Surely I could have done more, but today I didn't succeed. We will try to do our race and run as a team. Third place is good enough as a starting point. we'll see tomorrow".
While qualifying for the German Grand Prix is being held in Germany, after fourteen years, and months ahead of the scheduled date, Sergio Marchionne leaves his position as CEO of FCA. John Elkann, president of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, appoints Mike Manley in his place. Unfortunately Marchionne's condition is critical after surgery on his right shoulder in Zurich and John Elkann therefore had to urgently convene an extraordinary board at the Lingotto on Saturday afternoon to appoint his successor. An era comes to an end with Marchionne's departure from FCA. In a press release, FCA states with deep sadness:
"Unexpected complications arose during the post-operative convalescence during the week, which worsened further in the last few hours. For these reasons, Sergio Marchionne will not be able to resume his work".
The president of FCA, John Elkann, declares his deep sorrow for the condition of Sergio Marchionne, who is also president of Ferrari, in a statement:
"It is a situation that was unthinkable until a few hours ago, which leaves everyone with a sense of injustice. My first thought goes to Sergio and his family. For many, Sergio was an enlightened leader, an incomparable point of reference. For me he was a person to deal with and to trust, a mentor and above all a friend. He taught us to think differently and to have the courage to change, often even in an unconventional way, always acting with a sense of responsibility for the companies and for the people who work there. He taught us that the only question that is really worth asking, at the end of each day, is whether we have been able to change something for the better, whether we have been able to make a difference. And Sergio has always made a difference, wherever he has found himself working and in the lives of so many people".
For this reason, in Germany, Maurizio Arrivabene, expresses a particular dedication to Sergio Marchionne, who is currently in serious health conditions:
"On behalf of the racing team involved in Hockenheim, I dedicate the pole position conquered today to Sergio Marchionne, we are close to him and his family".
If on the one hand the German weekend is meeting the initial expectations, on the other hand Lewis Hamilton made several driving errors in Q1, first at the entrance to the Mercedes Arena blocking the left front tire, and then at the first corner finishing wide beyond the curb. With regard to this error, the British driver points his finger at the steering failure:
"I took advantage of the curb as I always did on every lap, but the steering broke, I think that was the problem. I didn't understand exactly what happened, I just tried to get the car back on track. But they told me to get out of the car and I tried to push it as far as it could go. I saw that there was an oil leak and realized I had to stop and parked the car. I didn't want to give up".
However, Mercedes probably would not have been able to take pole position anyway. The team principal of the Anglo-German team, Toto Wolff, admits that Scuderia Ferrari currently has a power unit that allows it to have a huge advantage on the straight:
"For the past four years I've heard Christian Horner keep complaining about the lack of speed and so I don't want to do the same thing. But that's actually where we lost today. They have a big power unit, big performance. We were competitive in all types of corners, but we weren't able to match their performance on the straight. Valtteri was exceptional in the third sector, so we came very close to pole position. We must undoubtedly work and try to recover".
When asked to quantify the gap, Toto Wolff replies:
"To be precise it was five-tenths on the obverse. It wasn't expected, but in F1 you have to expect everything and we have to figure out how to increase our power. I don't want to look even for a second at Ferrari, I want to focus on ourselves and say: is there something we have been missing? How can we increase the power of the ICE or electrically of the battery and the H (MGU-H ed)? That is, anything that can allow us to increase performance. Because if we want to win this championship, or stay in the fight, today's one, as far as we've seen, represented a strong warning".
This could mean performance comes from other areas, such as the batteries, one of the areas where Scuderia Ferrari was investigated by the FIA at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
"Yes, it's a concern. We've seen what they've been able to do in a few races regardless of the power unit, because Raikkonen still mounts the first specification unlike Vettel. Today they brought virtually all Ferrari-powered cars to Q3. This is an extraordinary, or truly exceptional, development and if others are able to achieve it too we must be capable of it by evaluating every possibility".
The data collected would testify that the surge in engine power is 40 horsepower between one race and another, without replacing the internal combustion engine, while in Germany a new MGU-K has been mounted for everyone.
"An advantage that is usually found in two years. It can't just be the combustion engine".
Max Verstappen is reasonably satisfied, who managed to qualify in fourth position with his Red Bull:
"I am reasonably satisfied. This was the best we could do. You always try to do the best, but you have to be realistic. In qualification mode we are less competitive in the second sector. Also, I had some problems with the balance in Q1 and in Q2 with the softer tires this problem remained. I think I could have reached Q3 with the Softs as well, but obviously there would have been risks and in those conditions you never want to finish eleventh. That's why we then mounted the Ultrasofts. First we need to see how far we can go with the Ultrasofts. Then we can understand better. We hope to be a little closer in the race and I'm pretty sure of that. The car is fast, we will start fourth, and as a result there are excellent prospects. The temperatures will also be different compared to Friday, so this too will be one more uncertainty for everyone".
And Fernando Alonso is also satisfied, who was unable to get into Q3 with his McLaren, but will still start eleventh, therefore close to the top ten:
"I'm definitely happy with eleventh place, as it's a small pole position in the center group. We will start with the tires we want and they will be new, so it is a great opportunity to score points as we will already be starting close to that part of the standings. It will be a close fight, but normally on Sunday we pick up some pace and therefore we will try to do our best and have a good race. We took advantage of Hamilton and Ricciardo's troubles, that's clear, but we still completed a good qualifying. The car is getting better; the new parts are definitely making our performance grow, but everyone else is making little progress at every race and so we're keeping more or less the same gap to our rivals. However, we are moving in the right direction and we hope to be able to bring more and more consistent updates at the next appointments. We need both McLarens to score points, so we need to find out what the problem is with Stoffel's car, because it's the second race in a row that his car has suffered from lack of downforce and other issues".
A very different situation from the one experienced by Stoffel Vandoorne, last to close the time list in qualifying:
"The situation was the same as in Silverstone. Since we put the wheels on the ground, we've been the last car in the group and the same thing continued today after being in the same condition for the whole weekend. It's frustrating because we've modified many parts of the car to try and fix the problems, but we haven't been able to find a solution yet. I certainly haven't forgotten how to drive. Between me and Fernando the cars have the same characteristics, but we can see some problems in the data on my side. The team has already made a lot of effort to change some components, but it seems that this is not bringing any benefits and so the team is examining various options to understand what else can be done. The priority is precisely to find a solution. I will have nothing to lose and starting from the back I can only improve, hoping to extract a little more performance from my car".
The outcome of the qualification opens up new scenarios for the race. Sebastian Vettel will start from pole position, and with a truly exceptional power unit keen to win in Germany, to extend his lead in the standings. The German driver knows that he must take advantage of this situation, given that Lewis Hamilton will be forced to make a grueling comeback from fourteenth place. And, in fact, on Sunday 22 July 2018, at the start of the German Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel maintained first place, followed by Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen. Fourth is Max Verstappen, ahead of Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hülkenberg, Romain Grosjean and Sergio Pérez. The Mexican passes Grosjean on lap six. The race is characterized by the comeback of Lewis Hamilton, who started fourteenth, and Daniel Ricciardo, who started nineteenth. Already on the eighth lap Lewis Hamilton is seventh, while Daniel Ricciardo is in fifteenth position. On lap eleven Lewis Hamilton also passed Nico Hülkenberg, and on lap 14 Kevin Magnussen. At the same time, Kimi Räikkönen was the first driver among the leaders to stop to change tyres. He returns to the race fourth, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Nico Hülkenberg also stopped on lap 18 and rejoined the track with Medium tyres. During lap 21 Kevin Magnussen returned to the pits, switching to the use of Medium tyres. Sebastian Vettel waited for lap 25 to put on Soft tyres, rejoining the track in fourth position, behind his teammate. On lap 28 it was Valtteri Bottas' turn, who returned to the pits and put on Soft tyres. The ranking now sees Kimi Räikkönen in the lead, ahead of Sebastian Vettel and the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. During lap 27, Daniel Ricciardo stops, who had climbed up to sixth position, due to a loss of power from the power unit. Max Verstappen made his stop to change tires on lap 29. The standings remained unchanged until lap 39, when Kimi Räikkönen let his teammate, Sebastian Vettel pass, who thus returned to the lead of the race. In Hockenheim, meanwhile, the threat of rain becomes more substantial: in the cross on lap 42 Lewis Hamilton returns to the pits and mounts Ultrasoft tyres, which should allow good competitiveness, even in the event of light rain. The Briton gives fourth position to Max Verstappen, but is able to recover it already during lap 47, after the Dutchman stops in the pits, to put on intermediate wet tires, due to the rain that actually falls in some areas of the tracked, as at the Spitzkehre bend.
However, the rain was not very intense and Max Verstappen, like the other riders who opted for the use of wet tires in the rear, were forced to return to the pits to put on slick tyres. During lap 51, due to the changed track conditions, now already very wet in some sectors, Sebastian Vettel went off the track at the Sachs corner. What happens is incredible. Sebastian Vettel will bear all responsibility for the mistake made, however doubts remain relating to some messages sent by his engineer, Riccardo Adami, relating to the settings to be made on the steering wheel to adjust the differential, indicated while the German driver is engaged in turn 8. Sebastian Vettel will say at the end of the race:
"I think the dry tyres were still the best. Mine obviously wasn't fresh and it was a little more difficult, but I made a small mistake with a huge result. I arrived a little too late under braking, locked the rear and couldn't get the car back on track. Up until that point we had managed everything well, then the tires gradually cooled down. I was wrong, I should have done better. It wasn't one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made, but it was probably one of the biggest in terms of what I had to pay. Sometimes it goes like this. I think I'm more disappointed than angry. Like I said, it wasn't a huge mistake in my opinion, although the impact on the result was huge. And that's why it's disappointing, we had the race in the pocket, we had the speed, we were managing up to that point. We really didn't need the rain. We have a competitive car, so we can be confident, more confident than anyone else. It was a good weekend except for my mistake. I apologize to the team, they did everything right and it was all in my hands. Small mistake, big disappointment".
In the meantime, the race direction sends the safety car onto the track: Bottas returns to the pits to mount Ultrasoft tyres; Hamilton, on the other hand, after having taken the lane that leads to the pits, at the last moment receives the order from the wall not to re-enter and returns to the track, crossing the pit lane (for this he will be placed under investigation after the race). The following lap Kimi Räikkönen also changed tyres. In the lead, in the safety car regime, is Lewis Hamilton, followed by Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Räikkönen, Max Verstappen, Nico Hülkenberg and the two Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon. Of these, only Nico Hülkenberg is on wet tyres. Always with the safety car regime, all the drivers who have wet tires return to the pits to return to the use of dry tyres. At the restart of the race, in his sporting value, Valtteri Bottas tries to pass Lewis Hamilton, but without success. The Briton raises his race pace, setting several fast laps. The Mercedes team then asks Valtteri Bottas to keep the positions. Lewis Hamilton incredibly wins the German Grand Prix and takes his 66th F1 World Championship victory. With this result, the British driver returns to the top of the Drivers' World Championship standings. At the end of the race, the Federation decided not to penalize Lewis Hamilton for cutting the pit access lane, carried out in order to rejoin the track without stopping, which occurred in the final part of the race. Charlie Whiting explains that the regulation does not provide for a specific rule that punishes this maneuver and that the precedent with Kimi Räikkönen, penalized by 5 seconds for a similar maneuver at the 2016 European Grand Prix, is not a valid precedent, as on that occasion there was a danger related to the high speed of that point on the track.
"I don't think there is a specific precedent. Kimi a couple of years ago in Baku received a 5 second time penalty as you recall. But it was very different, and in this scenario I can't think of any other precedent. In that case I think there were two cars close together at high speed so I think that differentiates the two situations The rule most people were talking about is the one in the event notes which says if you are pitting you must stay to the right of the post. Lewis was coming into the pits and moved to the right of the post, then changed his mind. Coming into the pits, we don't want the drivers to cut back at the last second, that's the reason for the bollard, but it's less clear whether it is dangerous that a driver decides to abort entering the pits having already passed the pole, which is more or less the point of no return, and returns to the track.There is another provision in the sporting regulations which states that the line separating the pit entrance from the track, must not be crossed in any direction by any car entering the lane. It takes some time to be sure that if you are going to call up a team, there is a good reason. We wanted to wait after the race to have a look, as we were getting close to the end. Then there was the rain and storms and everything in between. When everything calmed down we had to look closely and the stewards decided they should discuss it with the team".
At the end of the German Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton, author of an extraordinary comeback, celebrates a very important triumph and his return to the top of the Drivers' World Championship standings:
"I always believed I could win. Obviously from that starting position it's highly unlikely, but you always have to believe in it. I said a long prayer before the start of the race and on the warm up lap I saw how much support I had. I told myself to be calm, I kept calm. The team did a great job, the car was fantastic and I'm really grateful to have been able to drive this car. I kept pushing and believing it, and it happened. My dream came true on the track, so thank you all so much. It's really amazing, the conditions were difficult, but at the same time perfect for my purpose. When it rained, I knew I'd be in a good spot. But you never know what will happen, after the SC I had riders behind me on new tyres. As I said, I am grateful to the work of the team and I hope that the belief in my driving qualities on them has increased after this performance, and my confidence in the team has increased".
Valtteri Bottas, second at the finish line, was called once again to protect his teammate's shoulders.
"A rider always looks to the maximum, and when Seb went out, I thought it was a good opportunity. But for Lewis the SC came out at the best time, it allowed him to stay out. I had to go back. Let's take the positive side for the team, it's the perfect result for us at Mercedes Daimler's home race. Team orders to hold positions? There was a small battle when the SC came back with Lewis. I couldn't get past it and they told me to minimize the risks, which I understood. When the SC came out, we were free to fight and there was a good battle between Lewis and me on the first lap after the Safety Car came back. But you need a rather big difference in pace to overtake, if you have similar tyres. At that point it would have been very complicated and we would have only risked if I had pushed harder, perhaps trying a reckless move. It wouldn't have made any sense to do it with my teammate. We brought home as many points as possible. On my part, there is no resentment, it was a totally sensible decision. We battled the first lap and that was it. I had lost the race before, especially with the Safety Car, which for me arrived at a bad time, I had just made a pit stop and things didn't go my way".
the disappointment in the Scuderia Ferrari garage is enormous, despite Kimi Raikkonen managing to finish the race in third position:
"The team order to let Vettel through? There are clear rules, but the message wasn't entirely clear at the time. I had the speed, but it was a moment in the race when I was ideally on two stops, so this happened. Then everything changed a bit at the end, we knew it was a tricky track in the rain, dangerous in several places. At one point I was overtaking a Sauber in a lap, I blocked and Valtteri passed me and so that was the turning point in the race. I'm a little disappointed, but we take third place home. I don't know if the Ferrari was difficult to drive in the wet, I drove my car and I can answer for my sensations. In the past it has always been difficult in this type of condition, I was still surprised by the grip on this track, but when you go too fast with the track in those conditions there is little you can do".
Scuderia Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene confirms:
"In a tense weekend it would have been important for us to win, the car showed that we had the potential to bring home the win, but events didn't go according to plan. Raikkonen drove a great race and still brought the car to the podium. Now we focus on Hungary to give our best and close the first half of the season in style before the summer break".
While the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, points out
"In motorsport points are awarded on Sunday, at least in F1, yesterday we were unlucky just as we have been unlucky on so many occasions so far. Today luck has returned all the credit to us in one fell swoop".
Max Verstappen finished the German Grand Prix in fourth position, maximizing the potential of his car:
"It wasn't easy to understand the situation. We tried to mount the intermediates, but it didn't work. But in the end this choice didn't compromise our race, because everyone else had to go to the pits to put on new tires after the Safety Car. So fourth place was the best possible result today. It would have been much better if it had rained a little more. Race management was equally difficult, both for the team and for the driver. They had the weather forecast, but they didn't see what was happening on the track. I, on the other hand, was in the car, I felt the changing conditions but I didn't know the weather forecast. It was very complex. In any case, I'm satisfied because the race pace was quite good. Being fourth here is not a bad result".
In conclusion, one can only evaluate the great opportunity lost by Scuderia Ferrari in Germany: with Lewis Hamilton forced to make a grueling comeback, and Sebasian Vettel in pole position, the result could and should have been different. However, the Maranello-based team failed to achieve a result that could guarantee them to stay at the top of the two World Championship standings. In fact, Lewis Hamilton now leads the standings with 188 points, followed by Sebastian Vettel, who stops at 171 points, while Mercedes leads the constructors' standings with 310 points against Scuderia Ferrari's 302 points. Nothing is lost, but if the Maranello team wants to continue to aspire to triumph, it will have to be careful not to make further missteps. However, it is probable that the attention of the Italian team has been somewhat affected by the precarious conditions of the president Sergio Marchionne, who continues to fight for his health in the hospital. A condition that Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG, also speaks of:
"I had spoken to Sergio some time ago, after the surgery, and he seemed to have gone well. Reading John Elkann's statement about his health shocked me. I am very sad. With Marchionne I have always had an excellent relationship of esteem and friendship that goes beyond the industrial realities. I have always considered him a great person. We have always worked in mutual agreement, carrying on our battles together. I don't know what will happen now, because we'll have to start over. I have no doubts that with the new CEO Camilleri we will have good relations like we had in the past with Sergio. It is clear, however, that with him we had reached certain firm points on which to work jointly. This will no longer be possible. The future is a big question mark, we will try to carry on what we had agreed together".
Sunday 22 July 2018 Sergio Marchionne goes into an irreversible coma. The Ferrari president passed away on the morning of Wednesday 25 July 2018, at the age of 66. The following day, the University of Zurich announced that the former CEO of FCA had been undergoing various treatments for more than a year for a serious illness. The cause of death from cardiac arrest due to a sarcoma will be disclosed later.