F1 German Grand Prix

Welcome to the German Grand Prix from Hockenheim deep in the forest South of Manheim. Obviously with Sebastian on pole is great for the German crowd and with the six fastest cars in the top six we are set for a great race, hopefully. The weather is good and all the top ten are on the super soft tyres.

As the cars leave the grid for the warm up lap with the track temperature in the mid thirties there is the usual rush for the pits by the host of mechanics and team principals. A great start from both Ferrari's albeit they swopped from their grid positions as Sebastian moved to block Fernando allowing Felipe to into the lead. Lewis also passed both Jenson and Mark into fourth.

Both Ferrari's were doing fastest lap afetr fastest lap and slowly pulling away from Sebastian. The Green walled tyres seem to be holding out well on lap ten as the track temperature dropped to around 28 degrees.

On lap eleven Both Mercedes were running in eighth and ninth with Michael running ahead of his younger team mate. Sebastian then came in for a tyre change on lap thirteen and it will be interesting to see whether that assists Sebastian to keep him in contact with the Ferraris' after their stop.

Ferrari then responded with a tyre change for Fernando followed by Mark who also changed tyres but that put him down in ninth. Then came in Felipe followed by Lewis who then came out in front of Michael which all put Jenson out in front prior to his tyre change.

Felipe was still ahead of Fernando and it will be interesting to see when or if Fernando can make the jump on Felipe as he is locking wheels in the corners allowing Fernando to close the gap. Jenson is still out in front on lap seventeen he is putting in some ha=ot laps prior to his tyre change onto the harder compound.

Michael became locked in combat with Robert after his tyre change as Sebastian started to close the gap on the Ferrari's. The Ferrari's were now locked in battle as Fernando went on the radio to complain he was faster than Felipe and expects him to move over. Jenson then stopped and came out behind Lewis in fifth and now the two Mclarens are also locked in battle which will be interesting to watch.

Ferrari were having discussions about how they get Fernando in front of Felipe but yet Felipe was all of a sudden pulling away from Fernando on lap twenty seven. Obviously a lot of disquiet on the Ferrari pit wall and as usual Fernando expects Felipe to back off and let him pass.

Rob Smedley, Felipe's engineer came on the radio telling Felipe to get on with it which he is certainly doing and pulling away from Fernando. So, on lap 33 the positions were Felipe, Fernando, Sebastian, Lewis, Jenson and Mark at the sharp end with only fifteen seconds covering them the top six.

Both Mclaren's are playing a staying game to keep Mark behind them as they cannot get close to the front three. Lewis was asked to go into fuel saving mode as the call came from the pits that Lewis would have to run in G8 (fuel saving mode) at the end of the race.

Williams are not having a good run today and running thirteenth and fourteenth which is unusual for at least one of them not to be running in the top ten. Fernando is closing all the time on Felipe from three seconds down to less than a second on lap forty seven. Sebastian now started to close a little on the two Ferrari's and any fight between tem could bring Sebastian in range.

Rob Smedley then came on the radio advising Felipe that Fernando was quicker, in other words let him past. Rob obviously didn't want to pass on the message and obviously Ferrari want Fernando in front and on lap forty nine it happened and they all say there are no team orders. Rob then apologised to Felipe a lap later and the whole thing seems wrong to me.

Sebastian then started to close in much more on Felipe all of a sudden after the instruction basically to let Fernando through. Sebastian then through in a mid 1.16 and closed to two seconds on the Ferrari in second place.

There was no real fight at the end albeit a little tension as to whether Sebastian was to catch Felipe. So at the flag it was Fernando and Felipe and a one two for Ferrari followed by Sebastian, Lewis, Jenson and Mark making the top six.