Lewis Hamilton reacts
Giles Richards's race report
Right, that’s us - I’m off for a metaphorical lie-down. Stick with us for more reaction, and Giles Richards’ report from Hockenheim. Thanks for your company - ta-ra.
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Anyway, how do the driver standings look?
- Hamilton 223
- Bottas 184
- Verstappen 162
- Vettel 141
- Leclerc 120
- Gasly 55
- Sainz 48
- Raikkonen 31
- Kvyat 27
- Norris 22
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“It’s a day to learn,” deadpans Mercedes honcho, Toto Wolff. He is not all that happy with life.
Confirmation of the final positions from an unforgettable race at Hockenheim ⏱️#GermanGP #F1 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/ea8y1zqGE3
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2019
What a shame if that’s the last German Grand Prix for a while. It does sort of look that way, but Formula 1 being Formula 1, you never know.
The band strike up and what a race that was!
The podium lads raise their trinkets and out comes the fizz!
Podium and anthem time!
Ok, let’s have a full list of finishers:
- Verstappen
- Vettel
- Kvyat
- Stroll
- Sainz
- Albon
- Raikkonen
- Giovinazzi
- Grosjean
- Magnussen
- Hamilton
- Kubica
- Russell
Kvyat’s missus had a baby girl last night! Great stuff. Mazal tov!
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Before the last safety car, Vettel thought he could do something because he felt like he was faster than the others, so passing them was relatively straightforward.
“It was a long race,” says Vettel. “At some points it felt like it was never ending, but it was good fun.”
Verstappen says it was amazing out there, he enjoyed it and it was all about trying not to make too many mistakes in really difficult conditions.
“All credit in the world to Verstappen,” says Amanda Orson, “but Vettel going from #20 to #2 is just incredible. He should have been Driver of the Day.”
Can’t argue with that.
BREAKING: Max Verstappen wins a dramatic #GermanGP 😮
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2019
Sebastian Vettel claims P2 from P20 on the grid
Daniil Kvyat claims Toro Rosso's second ever F1 podium by finishing P3
WOW#F1 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/wigBV6z0gs
Verstappen gets out of his car and celebrates his second win in three races with his team.
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“What a race” says Vettel, an observation accurate both generally and specifically.
“What a result!” says Verstappen to his team. He is delighted, and why not.
Max Verstappen wins the German Grand Prix for Red Bull!
And Sebastian Vettel comes second from the back of the grid, with Daniil Kvyat coming third!
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Lap 63/64 Come on! Vettel absolutely mashes Kvyat on the straight and the crowd go wild! He’s second now, while Versatappen leads by more than four seconds! But what an effort from Vettel, who started at the back of the grid!
Lap 62/64 Albon blocks off Gasly and Gasly can’t stay away, bumping him and ruining his own chances±
Lap 61/64 Verstappen extends his lead - it’s 2.475s to Kvyat, who leads Stroll ... no he doesn’t! He can’t handle Vettel’s power, and Vettel takes him out!
Lap 61/64 Juna Pablo Montoya once finished second from the back of the grid; can Vettel get onto the podium? He’s fourth, less than half a second behind Stroll!
Lap 60/64 Vettel gains on Sainz, who holds him off, then Vettel sorts him on the inside! Superb! Then Albon does Gasly to move sixth and it’s all going on!
Lap 59/64 The safety car departs and Verstappen steps on it! Five laps to go!
Lap 59/64 Right, our placing:
1. Verstappen
2. Kvyat
3. Stroll
4. Sainz
5. Vettel
6. Albon
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Lap 58/64 Bottas’ gaffer was proper vex when he spun off. Lovely stuff.
Lap 58/64 They reckon it’ll take three laps to remove Bottas’ debris as Hamilton pits again; presumably he’s seeking a fastest lap point, though needs to get into the top 10 for that.
Lap 57/64 Back comes the safety car as we see Bottas’s spin - he slides on a bit of water and his rear tyres take him off. That will not be unwelcome to the 15th-placed Hamilton; did I say 15th? I meant 15th and last.
Bottas spins out
Lap 56/64 AND BOTTAS, PUSHING HARD TO ATTACK STROLL, SPINS OFF! WHAT IS GOING ON! WHAT A RACE! MEANWHILE, IN MERCEDES DIGS, TABLES ARE THUMPED!
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Lap 56/64 Sainz is now in that battle for third with Stroll and Bottas, with Vettel behind them in sixth place.
Lap 55/64 Verstappen leads by 9.903 from Kvyat, while Bottas tries to relieve Stroll of his third place. Verstappen just got his tyres exactly right, while the rain came at exactly the wrong point for Hamilton.
Lap 54/64 Hamilton is 14th now, and pits for a change of tyres! He needs something out of Wacky Races!
Hamilton spins again
Lap 53/64 It’s impossible to see anyone catching Verstappen now, and with Kvyat behind him we’re looking at a Honda one-two ... but then Hamilton goes off the track! He went wide at a corner, too wide, spun, and though he managed to right himself lost plenty of time in so doing. His run of 22 point-accumulating races is surely at an end!
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Lap 52/64 Vettel is carving through the field, currently sitting seventh but lapping fastest of all of them. Hamilton has been extremely quiet since finding himself 12th.
Lap 51/64 Stroll was the first Canadian to lead a race since Jacques Villeneuve, but now he’s third - Kvyat passes him. The gap to Verstappen is 9.128s/
Lap 50/64 Albon goes by Magnussen as the track dries out...
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Lap 48/64 This is an absolutely ridiculous race! Verstappen nails Stroll and records the fastest lap of the race, then seconds later Kvyat beats it; in between the two is Stroll, and fourth is Bottas, fifth is Sainz, sixth is Magnussen.
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Lap 48/64 Hamilton pits and Stroll takes the lead! Verstappen is just behind - 0.176s - and Hamilton serves his penalty to rejoin the race in twelfth.
Lap 47/64 Bottas pits too and Hamilton leads the race now, 2.556s ahead of Raikkonen, from Vettel, from Giovinazzi, from Stroll, from Verstappen.
Lap 46/64 Off goes the safety car and Albon and Sainz both attack Hamilton! One on each side! But around the corner he holds it down! Albon then finds himself sliding from fourth to eighth, while in front Verstappen extends his lead to 3.964 before pitting for slicks!
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Lap 45/64 There’s no rain expected so Bottas’ team tell him he needs to get at Verstappen immediately. Hamilton, meanwhile, will probably need to pit at some point, which will mean he has to take his penalty then, not at the line. The safety car is almost away.
Lap 44/64 Imagine John Terry taking a penalty on this track.
Lap 44/64 We see Hulkenberg debriefing with his team; he looks “gutted”.
Lap 43/64 Vettel leads Bottas by 1.8s as the safety car mooches around; Hamilton will be gearing up for a proper assault when it departs but would presumably have liked as long as possible to make up the gap.
Lap 42/64 Vettel, seventh, also pits and picks inters.
Lap 41/64 Hulkenberg is out of his car as Hamilton closes on Bottas and Verstappen pits onto inters!
Hulkenberg out of the race
Lap 41/64 Well this has been a quiet night in at the library. No podium for Hulkenberg, who finds himself off the track - it’s not obvious how he’s done that - and that’ll be the safety car back on! What a mistake!
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Lap 40/64 Rare mistake from Raikkonen who slides, misses his steer, drives off the track and has to force his way back on. He’s ninth now.
Lap 39/64 But Hamilton isn’t having it; he’s never be satisfied, and absolutely nails Hulkenberg. That’s him in third, roughly 11 seconds off the pace and two behind Bottas.
Lap 38/64 Hulkenberg has never finished on the podium, but might just manage it today if Hamilton gets another penalty. It’s raining a little, but not heavily.
Lap 37/64 Verstappen is seven seconds clear but Hamilton is going faster than him - though he’s also under investigation for behind the safety car behaviour. Bottas, meanwhile, is far too quick for Hulkenberg and passes him into second. The lead is 8.583s.
Lap 36/64 Hamilton is absolutely ganting to do Albon, who bravely holds him up to begin with but has no answer when he goes by.
Lap 35/64 Versatppen pulls away from Hulkenberg - his lead is 4.643 now and increasing all the time.
Lap 34/64 Five second penalty for Hamilton for going the wrong side of the bollard! If he pits again he’ll have to wait the time out; if he doesn’t it’ll be added to his finishing time!
Lap 34/64 Let’s go racing! Off they go again! Hamilton is 4.70 off the front!
Lap 33/64 The safety car is away presently.
Lap 33/64 Albon is doing pretty well for someone who’s never driven an F1 car in the rain. Or maybe it’s not that difficult.
Lap 33/64 Verstappen leads by 0.801 from Hulkonen, then it’s Bottas, Albon, Hamilton, Sainz, Raikkonen, Vettel. This is so set-up it’s ridiculous.
Lap 32/64 Hamilton’s team don’t think the damage to the car is too bad, but meantime he’s down in fifth.
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Lap 31/64 Hamilton might’ve gone into the pits the wrong side of the bollards ... they’re investigating. Versatappen, on intermediates, leads and looks good all of a sudden!
Lap 30/64 The safety car is still out but Bottas goes in and Verstappen leads!
Lap 30/64 Who saw that coming? Hamilton was absolutely cruising, but now he’s fifth behind Albon, Hulkenberg, Verstappen and Bottas - that’s in ascending order.
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Hamilton goes off
Lap 30/64 OH MY DAYS! Hamilton goes off where Leclerc did, manages to stay on, and needs a new front wing! They’re not ready for him in the pits and Bottas takes the lead! It’s all going on!
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Lap 29/64 Nightmare for Leclerc, who was in position to challenge for the lead, and he hollers his agony. Looking again, a tiny bit of understeer saw him slide, the back came out from under him and there he went. The safety car comes on...
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Leclerc is out
Lap 29/64 Hamilton goes in while Leclerc stays ahead of Bottas. Hamilton’s stop is a long one and LECLERC GOES WIDE AND CRASHES OUT!
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Lap 28/64 Norris has lost power and is off!
1. Hamilton
2. Leclerc
3. Bottas
4. Verstappen
5. Hulkenberg
6. Albon
7. Raikkonen
8. Vettel
9. Sainz
10. Giovinazzi
11. Gasly
12. Grosjean
Lap 27/64 In goes Bottas ... and Verstappen spins on a kerb and is driving very slowly indeed! Will that be the beginning of the end for him?
Lap 26/64 Leclerc’s advantage is done; he’s no longer lapping faster than the rest, but sits third now Verstappen has pitted.
Lap 26/64 Verstappen goes in! Red Bull gamble, and go for mediums, maybe even to the end!
Lap 25/64 Hamilton leads by 8.599, and is asking his boys how Magnussen’s getting on on slicks. The answer is pretty well. The corners are wet, but everywhere else is largely dry.
Lap 25/64 Vettel pits and comes back in 11th, Grossjean passing him, but he’s on softs. If it doesn’t rain properly, he’ll be set; if it does, his team will look silly.
Lap 24/64 I can’t even remember the last time we saw Hamilton. He’s in quarantine there at the front.
Lap 23/64 Magnussen, in 16th, pits, and goes for slicksI think. It’s raining and will continue so to do for 10 minutes, but with very little enthusiasm.
Lap 22/64 Bottas leads Verstappen by 1.1310s; Verstappen has closed slightly, but has roughly seven laps before Leclerc is right in his chevy chase.
Lap 21/64 Vettel doesn’t like his tyres but his team are keeping him out for at least one more lap. He’s seventh currently, and can only be pleased with that except he isn’t because that’s the type of people these people are.
Lap 20/64 We’re expecting more rain in the immediate future, but in the meantime Leclerc, on intermediates, is still on a boust. He’s gained six places after starting tenth on the grid and is 4.7s behind Verstappen, whom he’s chasing.
Lap 19/64 Cut to see Sainz with his nose into the wall. He manages to get himself out of there, but is now 15th! We then see that he went into a spin, and apologises to his team.
Lap 19/64 Leclerc’s boys tell him he’s the quickest, and he’s closing the gap a little.
Lap 18/64 Leclerc was more than three seconds faster than Hamilton on that last lap. He’s in fourth, more than six seconds behind Versatppen.
Lap 17/64 Verstappen fancies he can get Bottas! But then he gets too close, the back of the car doesn’t stick, he turns away from the lane and from the corner, and ends up having to go off the track to stay involved!
Lap 16/64 Versatppen contemplates slicks, decides against it on this lap but is still discussing the possibility.
Lap 16/64 Hamilton leads by 6.513 now, which is decent - we’ve hardly seen him, which tells you how comfortable he is.
Lap 15/64 Ricciardo was going for his seventh finish on the spin, and they chuck out the virtual safety car while they clear the much.
Lap 14/64 Gosh, Ricciardo’s car is gozzing muck all over the show and he’s out of the race!
Lap 13/64 Vettel, it’s though, has a problem, and is losing time; Leclerc, meanwhile, avoids a penalty for an unsafe early release, but Ferrari are fined. I don’t see the point of that, given I’m fairly sure they can find the funds down the back of the couch.
Lap 12/64 Raikonnen is pulling away from Vettel, who’s seventh; he was getting caught by Sainz, but is now back building the difference. We’re expecting rain in the next 10-15 minutes.
Lap 11/64 So our leaderboard goes:
1.Hamilton
2. Bottas
3. Verstappen
4. Leclerc
5. Hulkenberg
6. Raikkonen
Lap 11/64 It’s drying up pretty quickly, we’re told.
Lap 10/64 Hamilton looks so solid out there. It’s hard to see anyone doing anything about this ... but there’s heavier rain expected in the next 10-15 minutes.
Lap 9/64 Vettle’s up from 20th to ninth; I daresay he famcies himself for some podium here.
Lap 8/64 Vettel passes Magnussen and so does Sainz. Hamilton’s lead is 2.8.
Lap 7/64 Vettel is 17-odd seconds behind Hamilton, but Hamilton is extending his lead at the front. He, Bottas and Verstappen are miles faster that the rest.
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Lap 6/64 Vettel up to eighth now, and this is excellent from him.
Lap 5/64 Behind Magnussen, in fifth, is Leclerc ... but he storms past! He had so much more power there, and Hulkenberg also bousts away.
Lap 5/64 Bottas rushes past Magnussen and Verstappen goes by him too, able to break much later than both the others.
Lap 4/64 The safety flag goes in and we’re back away again. Hamilton pulls away...
Lap 4/64 Bottas and Versatppen both pit, so Magnussen is now second with Bottas third, Verstappen fourth.
Lap 4/64 Hamilton has time to pit and come out still in front. His lead is 5.912.
Lap 3/64 Vettel goes in for some intermediates; Hamilton is told that he’s going into the pits behind the safety car
Lap 2/64 Sainz has already been off three times, and Vettel is 13th. Verstappen, meanwhile, barges past Raikkonen, and Perez bangs into the wall, ends up with a flat, and THE SAFETY CAR IS COMING ON!
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Lap 2/64 Versappen is fourth, Hulkonen fifth, then Leclerc, Gorssjean and Sainz! Hamilton leads by 2.254, pretty good!
Lap 1/64 Vettel is up six places already!
Lap 1/64 Hamilton gets away well, and Bottas does Verstappen right away! So does Raikkonen!
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AND WE’RE AWAY!
It’s now a 64-lap race! Those three have come off the total.
The safety car skips off to the pits, and the cars pull into the grid. We’re nearly there...
Come on lads, let’s be having you.
And round they go again!
Hamilton wants to get on with it.
They go round for another lap, behind the safety car, and no one’s quite sure what’s going on: whether it’s a rolling start or a standing start.
I take it back. The Racing Point car looks like Germolene.
And off we go...
The formation laps will start on time, behind the safety car, with everyone on wets.
They reckon it’s going to be raining for the first hour ten or so. Basically, we need Choni HaM’agel; “circle-drawing incident” is one of my favourite Wikipedia headings ever.
The Racing Point car looks like a tube of toothpaste.
Norris notes that not only is it wet but there’s poor visibility. He’s got some confidence, and pretending not to be arsed that Vettel’s next to him.
Vettel is forced to answer questions, confirming that he’s on wets while striding purposefully away and wearing an “I’m being super friendly but do one” face.
Various of the drivers haven’t experienced a wet race, and Alex Albon, who is one of them, confirms that it’s very slippery out there.
Anthem time!
Kevin Magnussen is using wets or, put another way, there’s no definitive school of thought about how to approach these conditions.
The Renault drivers aren’t sure what tyres to use, we learn. George Russell says it’s very slippery but doesn’t think it needs a safety car start.
The track doesn’t look too wet, says Martin Brundle, so intermediates are the order of the day.
Talking of yerman...
An incredible reaction from the Hockenheim crowd after @SchumacherMick completes some laps in his father Michael's Ferrari F2004 😍#F1 #GermanGP @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/h0rWKXqGSY
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2019
Should every race be in the rain? I believe there’s a procedure called seeding that can make this happen.
They got me at “punch-ups”.
Lando Norris, who qualified 16th, will now be starting from the back of the grid after taking on new MGU-K, energy store and control electronics.
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Lots of drivers are sneaking in an extra little practice. There’s bare spritz all over the show.
It’s pretty wet in Hockenheim, so I assume Schumacher will win.
I’m not surprised Hamilton is pushing through. Everyone knows that you force yourself to work when you’re ill so you can take a sickie when you’re in shape to enjoy it.
Preamble
It’s one of those where he’s almost doing too well. Of the 11 Grands Prix so far this season, Lewis Hamilton has won eight, finished second twice, and fifth once, leading Valtteri Bottas at the top of the driver standings by 39 points. He’s in a good spot.
Problem being that he’s now ill. Not too ill to secure pole position for today’s race, but finding a few fast laps is not the same as putting body and mind through 67 of the blighters. Behind him, Jos Verstappen and Bottas, second and third on the grid respectively, will be fancying the ruckus.
The Hockenheimring is one of the best circuits in the world for overtaking, but on the other hand, only Hamilton has won a race on it. If he can find a way to do likewise today, a sixth championship will look like a formality.
Start: 2.10pm BST, 3.10pm local time.
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