It’s safe to say that there’s been many surprises in this year’s F1 season. But, it certainly makes for interesting watching, that’s for sure! After what seems like a rather lengthy two weeks, the awesome racing action is here once more as the drivers head to Germany.
The British Grand Prix which took place earlier this month was certainly a controversial race. Near the start of the event, Lewis Hamilton was involved in a collision with Finnish racer Kimi Raikkonen which resulted in him falling down to 17th place. However, the fact Hamilton was able to finish the race in second position is somewhat impressive! In spite of this, we’re sure that Hamilton will have been hugely disappointed after missing out on a win on home turf – falling further behind his fierce rival Sebastian Vettel in the race for the Driver’s Championship. So, without any further ado, here’s our preview of the 2018 German Grand Prix which takes place this weekend.
What Time Does The German Grand Prix Start?
With a time difference of +1 hour when compared to UK time, you can expect the German Grand Prix to commence at 15:10 local time (14:10 BST) this Sunday, 22nd July. Qualifying begins at 14:00 tomorrow, Saturday 21st July.
History of the German Grand Prix
The German Grand Prix takes place at the Hockenheimring, having previously taken place at the Nürburgring and even a couple of times at AVUS in Berlin. This particular race has seen many changes over the years, not only in terms of the venue, but also in terms of the actual racetrack itself. However, with its current design, the track measures up to 4.574 km (2.842 mi), equating to a total race length of 306.442km (190.414 mi) with a 67 lap race.
The first ever German Grand Prix took place way back in 1926, occurring most years since then. However, for various reasons, the event was cancelled altogether in some years – most recently in 2007, where it was replaced by the European Grand Prix, and in 2015 and 2017, where a change of ownership and failure to agree a deal with F1 bosses caused the event to be removed from the F1 race calendar for those particular occasions. It’s now been confirmed as a biennial event – taking place every two years.
In terms of overall wins on the circuit, the late German racer Rudolf Caracciola was able to achieve a total of six wins in the German Grand Prix throughout his career, closely followed by Michael Schumacher who finished 1st on the podium on 4 occasions in this event. In terms of current racers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are tied on three wins each.
Who Won The Last German Grand Prix?
The German Grand Prix hasn’t taken place since 2016. This is due to the fact the Hockenheimring were unable to host the event some years. However, this year marks the return of the German Grand Prix to the F1 racing calendar for its biennial appearance. In the previous instalment of the this particular event, Nico Rosberg was unable to maintain his pole position throughout the race – having to settle for a fourth place finish instead.
Lewis Hamilton reached the top of the podium with a time of 1:30:44.200, with Red Bull teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen claiming 2nd and 3rd positions, with times of +6.996 and +13.413 respectively.
Who Is Likely To Win The German Grand Prix?
The Driver’s Championship continues to change week after week. But, it’s currently Sebastian Vettel who is enjoying an eight point lead at the top (171 points), ahead of his closest rival Lewis Hamilton who currently lies on 163 points.
The events of the British Grand Prix did nothing to help Hamilton and his quest to retain his F1 title. Whilst he did well to pull back and earn 2nd place on the podium, he’ll be looking for a repeat of his achievements in the last German Grand Prix – a 1st place finish that is!
Sebastian Vettel has only ever won once in this particular event despite being on home turf. This was back in 2013 when he was racing for his previous team Red Bull-Renault. If he’s hoping to increase his lead at the top of the Driver’s Championship, then he’s going to have to put in a great performance. If he can do just that, then Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes might just begin to slip away.
Final Thoughts
Karting Nation will be tuning in this weekend for sure. When it comes to all things racing, we’re always up for it! If you’d like to catch all the action yourself, then make sure you prepare for the main event this Sunday, 22nd July at 14:10 BST.