Formula 1: German Grand Prix Preview

by Bodog Sports | Jul 17 2008

Order has been restored in Formula 1. After a rocky couple of weeks and a ropey couple of races, Lewis Hamilton’s star is once again shining brightly. His quite brilliant drive through the pouring rain at Silverstone ensured he won the British Grand Prix, in front of a jubilant home crowd, and put paid to any talk of his talent being overshadowed by a celebrity lifestyle.

More importantly, it restored his place at the top of the driver’s standings, albeit level on 48 points with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen. It was a massive victory for Hamilton; not only did he gain ten points for himself, neither of the Ferraris finished in the top three – Raikkonen finished fourth but Massa trailed in 13th. Good news all round for the Brit.

on Lewis Hamilton to win the German Grand Prix

So, to round ten of the 2008 championship and the German Grand Prix. This is back at Hockenheim, after a one-year absence. The 2007 race was staged at the Nurburgring, interrupting a near 30-year association with Hockenheim, which served as the German GP venue from 1977 to 2006.

In a nutshell, Hockenheim is a circuit of fast and slow – stretches where drivers can really floor it, corners (17 in all) which requires them to slow way, way down. Expect a stop-start affair, where the performance of the tyres – this circuit makes them work hard – could be every bit as important as that of the drivers.

Speaking of drivers, it’s a big weekend for BMW’s Nick Heidfeld. Just as Hamilton rose to the occasion at Silverstone by pulling out all the stops in front of his home crowd, so Heidfeld will be desperate to do the same here. He’s certainly in encouraging form, having finished second behind Hamilton at the British Grand Prix, and victory at Hockenheim would be an absolute dream. Heidfeld is still amazingly without a single Grand Prix win in 103 attempts. Where better to end the long-running drought?

on Nick Heidfeld to win the German Grand Prix

Heidfeld aside, the Ferraris will be right on Hamilton’s heels. It’s rare that the Italians have two bad Grand Prixs in a row, and after suffering in the British rain two weeks ago, the more likely clement German weather will suit them down to the ground. And they have great history here; Ferrari has won five out of the last nine German races staged at Hockenheim. It’s a circuit they love.

McLaren, on the other hand, have not enjoyed such fortune. You have to go right back to 1998 to find the last time they won here, Mika Hakkinen triumphing. Can Hamilton change that poor run, or will it be another Ferrari victory on this, their lucky track?

on the German Grand Prix


Driver Standings
1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 48
2. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 48
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 48
4. Robert Kubica (BMW) 46
5. Nick Heidfeld (BMW) 36

Constructor Standings
1. Ferrari 96
2. BMW Sauber 82
3. McLaren-Mercedes 72
4. Toyota 25
5. Red Bull-Renault 24

on the overall winner of the Formula 1 2008