The German Grand Prix has gone through some uncertain times recently in regards to finance, with a shadow being cast over whether the Nurburgring would even be able to host the 2013 round. However the race is on course (reportedly thanks
to Ecclestone waiving the fee) and Formula One returns to the track for
round nine of the 2013 season.
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With it's current agreement to alternate hosting the race
with the Hockenheimring, the last time that the sport visited the once iconic
circuit was back in 2011 where Lewis Hamilton raced to victory with Alonso in
second, Webber in third and unusually Sebastian Vettel off the podium in
fourth.
It may be no Nordschleife, but the current Nurburgring configuration is still a challenge for the current spec cars. It's similar to Silverstone in that it has a few slow and technical areas alongside some high speed corners and long straights.
It's also a good track for overtaking with a few spots enabling some on-track passing. Turn one is a strong point on the circuit for overtaking due to the heavy braking zone into the hairpin. Turn's three and five
also have potential with turn seven also enabling some overtaking if drivers
are feeling brave. However turns 13 and 14 - the tight chicane in the final
sector - is perhaps the corner with the best potential. It follows a long
straight where the DRS will be positioned and is a slow second gear corner with a big
braking zone.
The European Grand Prix has also been hosted at the German
track with one of the stand-out races of 2007 taking place. Yes, there was some
fantastic driving but it can be most remembered for the torrential rain that
arrived in the early laps. This caused chaos with drivers aquaplaning off track
- particularly at the treacherous turn one.
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Five cars retired during the downpour with several others
managing to return to the race - including Lewis Hamilton who managed to keep
his engine running and continue in the race. However he was a lap down and
after the red flag, he failed to recover into the points. Markus Winkelhock
made his F1 debut for Spyker and ended up leading as the race restarted. He
wasn't out front for long and the leading duo of Massa and Alonso soon
displaced him.
There was a titanic battle for the lead between the two
mentioned above. It was a fierce fight which eventually saw Alonso barge his
way through in a tough but fair move in tricky and damp conditions after the
rain briefly returned. He went on to win the race in euphoric style much to the
displeasure of Massa, with Mark Webber's Red Bull Racing rounding out the
podium.
Last year’s race was held at the Hockenheimring and saw
Fernando Alonso race to victory from Jenson Button. However the Brit didn't
finish second on the road, Vettel did but he was penalised for overtaking the
McLaren off the track. Raikkonen was third and Vettel dropped to fifth in the
results behind fourth placed man Kobayashi.
The previous year saw the Nurburgring host proceedings and
Lewis Hamilton raced to victory despite losing positions in the pit stop.
However he managed to overtake Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso to win the race
with Alonso eventually finishing second, Webber third and Vettel
uncharacteristically fourth after an early spin.
How about a little walk through of the track then? Okay. The lap begins
with a medium speed straight that then dips downhill into the heavy braking
zone for the turn one hairpin. It's a second gear right with a wide track on
entry that tightens on the exit. The second corner is a third gear left before
cars file in to a long, second gear left-hander that comes after a short burst
on the power post-turn two.
Turn four is a quick flick of the steering wheel to the
right that is taken in third gear. This is an important corner to get right as
it leads on to a medium speed straight that runs on to turn five - a fifth gear
high downforce corner that files in to the sixth turn. Dubbed the Ford-Kurve,
it's a second gear corner that leads on to another medium length straight as
the track continues to dip downhill.
The Dunlop-Kehre comes next up, a long third gear hairpin
that is bumpy underbraking. The Michael Schumacher "S" that makes up
the turn eight and nine complex are perhaps the most exciting corners on the
circuit. It's driven flat out with the first apex to the left being taken in
sixth gear and the right-hander being taken in top gear.
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Turn 10 is a fourth gear left where Sebastian Vettel managed
to spin at back in 2011 - it catches out even the best of drivers. Turn 11 is a
right-hander that is also taken in fourth gear and is crucial for getting a
good run onto the long back straight. Turn 12 breaks up the straight and is
easily taken flat out.
The next two corners make up the tricky sector three
chicane, a strong place to make an overtake. It starts off with a left before
switching right - both taken in second gear - before moving on to the final
corner. This is a medium speed right branded the "Coca-Cola Kurve."
This ends the lap as the cars re-join the pit straight. The pit-lane entry is
tricky as it follows the inside of the final corner. Kimi Raikkonen proved this
in the wet 2007 race when he went to pit for wet tyres. It was a crucial move
to make and he managed to slither off and over the kerb, re-joining the track
and having to circulate the track once again.
The sport heads swiftly from Silverstone to Germany with
plenty of things to prove. Pirelli have to give answers on the four tyre
delaminations that occurred during the British Grand Prix, Vettel is determined
to finish the race and score some good points and Mercedes are focused on
maintaining their now front running pace in race trim.
German Grand Prix Fact-file:
Location: Nurburgring, Germany
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| (c) AllF1 |
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 15
Gear changes per lap: 57
Full throttle: 53%
First race: 1951 (Nordschleife)
Lap record: 1m29.468 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004
Tyre compounds: Medium and soft
2012 race winner (Hockenheim): Fernando Alonso
2012 pole position: Fernando Alonso
2012 fastest lap: 1m18.725 Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
Live on: Sky Sports F1 (Highlights BBC)
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