Formula 1 returned to Hockenheim, situated in the Rhine valley in Germany's south-west, for the eleventh round of the 2018 season - the German Grand Prix .
The iconic Hockenheimring circuit is 4.5 kilometres of fast sweepers and long straights, coupled by a sensational stadium section in the final sector.
The original circuit was built in 1939 as a high-speed test track for Mercedes-Benz, and was almost eight kilometres long.
The high-speed Ostkurve forest section was given two fast chicanes, and the track lined with crash barriers, after two-time world champion Jim Clark was killed in a Formula 2 racing accident in 1968.
MORE: German Grand Prix: Hamilton wins thriller as Vettel throws it away
The Hockenheimring was redesigned for the 2002 German Grand Prix - the circuit was shortened, with the forest straights section removed in favour of more tight corners, including a violently-narrow hairpin.
Since the German Grand Prix became part of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, the venue of the race has alternated between the Hockenheimring and Nürburgring - however, with financial dramas plaguing the event, after the Nürburgring went through a change of ownership, the German Grand Prix has called the Hockenheimring home in recent years.
The most recent German Grand Prix, held in 2016, saw Lewis Hamilton lead Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Aussie hero Daniel Ricciardo home.
However, Ferrari's resurgence in 2018 saw the Scuderia push for their first win in the Fatherland since 2012.
2018 GERMAN GRAND PRIX: FORM GUIDE
Formula 1's first-ever triple-header shook the 2018 championship to its core, leaving the title race wide open.
The first race saw Hamilton win in France in a canter , before the second leg in Austria led to a shock Verstappen victory after Ricciardo and both Mercedes drivers encountered reliability dramas.
With Sebastian Vettel's last-start win on Hamilton's home soil in Britain , Ferrari took control of the driver's and constructor's championships - however, Vettel's eight-point lead over Hamilton looked far from safe heading to Germany, while Mercedes is a solid result away from snatching the ascendancy back from Ferrari.
Mercedes are undefeated in Germany in the V6 hybrid era, with 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg winning in 2014 - a race famous for Felipe Massa's first-corner roll - before Hamilton's victory two years later.
The Hockenheimring circuit favoured Mercedes and Ferrari in 2018 with the winding sweeper prior to the tight hairpin a favourite for the power-hungry engines.
However, Red Bull's chassis came alive in the stadium section, meaning Verstappen and Ricciardo weren't too far from the action.
While Vettel was looking in his mirrors ahead of his home race, with Hamilton keen to bounce back from his frustrations at Silverstone, the German Grand Prix threw another curveball in the 2018 title race, with flying Finns Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen hungrier than ever to win their first races of the season.
KEY STATS
- With wins in 1995, 2002, 2004 and 2006, Michael Schumacher held the record outright for the most German Grand Prix wins in the Formula 1 era. However, he is now joined by Lewis Hamilton whose 2018 added to his victories in 2008, 2011 and 2016.
Love was in the air between @LewisHamilton and his @MercedesAMGF1 team in Germany on Sunday ❤️
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 23, 2018
Let it all out, Lewis...#GermanGP #F1 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/We9gSeQzyw
- Ferrari are by far and away the most successful constructor in Germany, having won the event 22 times. Although having won the German Grand Prix now 11 times, Mercedes have only won four times in the Formula 1 era (1954, 2014, 2016, 2018), while Williams (nine wins), McLaren (eight wins) and Red Bull (two wins) are other current teams to have won in Germany.
- At the Nürburgring in 2009, retired Aussie fan favourite Mark Webber took his maiden Grand Prix victory in Germany - a day after he took his first pole position. Webber still holds the record of having the most starts before his first win (130).
- Rubens Barrichello’s victory at Hockenheim in 2000 saw him gain 17 places after starting 18th on the grid, the biggest gain by an eventual winner at any European GP.
- Nico Rosberg is the only German driver in F1 history to win the German Grand Prix with a German constructor (2014).
Most podiums at the #GermanGP 🇩🇪 (current drivers)
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 17, 2018
5 Alonso (📸 2010)
4 Hamilton
3 Vettel, Raikkonen
1 Grosjean, Bottas, Ricciardo, Verstappen#F1FastFact #F1 pic.twitter.com/lSX9IKDmCC
- Red Bull are the team to win most often at Nurburgring without ever tasting victory at Hockenheim (twice, level with Tyrrell).
- Valtteri Bottas raced his first German Grand Prix as a Mercedes driver, and finished second. Only Juan Manuel Fangio (1st in 1954) has previously reached the podium for Mercedes in his first race at the German Grand Prix.
Most laps led at the #GermanGP 🇩🇪
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 17, 2018
213 Schumacher
159 Hamilton
122 Alonso
114 Berger
108 Senna
100 Hakkinen#F1FastFact #F1 pic.twitter.com/IsxwjrSc9O
- Prior to his DNF at Hockenheim, Sebastian Vettel was the only driver to win points and finish every race so far in this F1 season.
TYRE COMPOUNDS
The 2018 German Grand Prix saw Pirelli's white-walled medium, yellow-walled soft and purple-walled ultrasoft compounds used.
We're skipping compounds for the #F1 Grand Prix that skips years!
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) July 16, 2018
Welcome back #GermanGP, time to see how things have changed: https://t.co/epOzpuniR5 pic.twitter.com/6biwhTe6v3
WEATHER
Friday was warm for free practice - however, rain was forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
SESSION TIMES
FP1: Friday, July 20, 7:00pm
A strong session for Red Bull in Hockenheim
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 20, 2018
With Hamilton just a whisker off the top spot#GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Ho8UsUN90e
FP2: Friday, July 20, 11:00pm
Two sessions at the top in a row for @redbullracing 💪#GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/tJVzVkVQd4
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 20, 2018
FP3: Saturday, July 21, 8:00pm
It's a @SauberF1Team one-two in FP3 @Charles_Leclerc tops a #F1 session for the first time 👏#GermanGP 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/YsBZABZqgT
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2018
Qualifying: Saturday, July 21, 11:00pm
Q3 CLASSIFICATION: What a lap from Sebastian Vettel 🔥 #GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/UKS3K0oZXs
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2018
Race: Sunday, July 22, 11.10pm
🏁 RACE CLASSIFICATION (Chequered flag) 🏁
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2018
Hamilton weathers the storm to take win number four of 2018!#GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/48pO4PnPw1
All times shown AEST.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Sebastian Vettel took full advantage of Lewis Hamilton's hydraulic problems as he secured a fifth pole of the Formula One season in dramatic style at the German Grand Prix.
Hamilton was a surprise early casualty at Hockenheim as his Mercedes lost power at the end of Q1, the Briton unable to make it back to the pits.
That meant the world champion will only start 14th while championship leader Vettel will set off from the front, offering him a great chance to increase his eight-point advantage over Hamilton on Sunday.
Get the full qualifying report and results here.
Full commitment, maximum attack!! 🔥
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2018
Watch as Sebastian Vettel demolishes the lap record in Germany
And grabs his tenth pole position as a @ScuderiaFerrari driver#GermanGP 🇩🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/IQv5JbIg8s
RACE RESULTS
Despite starting 14th, Lewis Hamilton has managed to win a thrilling German Grand Prix to retake the championship lead.
In a chaotic, weather-affected finish, home favourite and pole man Sebastian Vettel sensatioanlly crashed out of a near-guaranteed win, throwing away his championship lead.
BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton WINS a crazy #GermanGP 🇩🇪 He retakes the championship lead 👊 pic.twitter.com/fHiceiyIQ1
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2018
Valtteri Bottas made it a Mercedes 1-2 ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen.
A safety car intervention - to retrieve Vettel's stricken Ferrari - ensured a tense finish awaited the field with a handful of laps remaining.
Get the full race report and results here.
F1 DRIVER STANDINGS
AFTER ROUND 11 (GERMANY)
Position | Driver | Constructor | Points | Margin |
1st | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 188 | |
2nd | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 171 | -17 |
3rd | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 131 | -57 |
4th | Valterri Bottas | Mercedes | 122 | -66 |
5th | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 106 | -82 |
6th | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 105 | -83 |
7th | Nico Hulkenberg | Renault | 52 | -136 |
8th | Fernando Alonso | McLaren | 40 | -148 |
9th | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 39 | -149 |
10th | Sergio Perez | Force India | 30 | -158 |
F1 CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS
AFTER ROUND 11 (GERMANY)
Position | Constructor | Points | Margin |
1st | Mercedes | 310 | |
2nd | Ferrari | 302 | -8 |
3rd | Red Bull | 211 | -99 |
4th | Renault | 80 | -230 |
5th | Force India | 59 | -251 |
6th | Haas | 59 | -251 |
7th | McLaren | 48 | -262 |
8th | Toro Rosso | 20 | -290 |
9th | Sauber | 18 | -292 |
10th | Williams | 4 | -306 |