Here we are with a bumper edition of F1 pics this week. There’s over 100 photos from the 2013 German Grand Prix for you below, there’s some really great images too. We hope you like them.
Tag: German Grand Prix
One of the benefits of Kimi Raikkonen finishing so close to Sebastian Vettel in the German Grand Prix is that it gave the media at the post-race press conference a chance to quiz both drivers about the possibility of racing in the same team next year. As you’d expect both played a fairly straight bat, but it was still interesting to read what both had to say on the topic of replacing Mark Webber in 2014.
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
For all of the amazing things Sebastian Vettel has achieved in his Formula 1 career, a win at his home grand prix had eluded him. But not any more. Victory at the Nürburgring for his first German Grand Prix trophy is Vettel’s 30th career win, becoming only the sixth driver in F1 history to reach that mark.
Close behind the Red Bull ace was Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) who finished strongly, just one second adrift of Vettel. The final podium position was taken by Romain Grosjean (Lotus).
For Vettel it was a controlled race, but behind him there were two bizarre incidents that helped to shape the result. Mercifully, neither included the exploding tyres we saw in Silverstone last week. The first incident ruined Mark Webber’s race. The Aussie made a great start from P3 and challenged for the lead into the first corner. Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG) was swamped by the two Red Bulls and Vettel took the lead.
At the first round of pit stops Webber’s left rear wheel was not put back on correctly, yet he was still waved out and metres later the wheel came loose. Unfortunately the wheel bounced down the pit lane and hit a cameraman. Reports suggest the cameraman suffered minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Mark was able to rejoin the race, after being pushed back into his pit box, albeit a lap down.
The second incident started on lap 22, when Jules Bianchi (Marussia) pulled to the side of the circuit after his car caught fire. The flames were extinguished and the car was abandoned awaiting collection from the marshals. Two laps after the car came to rest, it began to roll down the hill, across the track before coming to rest thanks to an advertising hoarding. Cue the Benny Hill theme, but thankfully no harm was done.
What Bianchi’s runaway car did do was bring out a Safety Car. This not only allowed the field to bunch up, but also allowed Mark Webber to unlap himself. Racing resumed on Lap 30, half race distance.
Vettel maintained his lead, despite a late charge from Kimi Raikkonen. Webber was able to put in a commendable recovery drive to finish in P7, which included a pass on Sergio Perez on the second half of the final lap. Not a bad effort after being dead last after the Safety Car came in.
Speaking after the race Webber expressed his disappointment, knowing he had the package to fight for the win. “Today was a bit of a nightmare and you want to wake up tomorrow and have another go at it,” he said. “We had an excellent start and were in a great position leading up to the first stop with Seb, but we lost all of that. We lost a lot of points today and a chance to challenge for the win, but there’s no rewind button now.â€
Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) was unhappy with his day, which saw him start from P6 only to finish in P12. “A frustrating and rather dull race for me,” Daniel said. “After the start, I was able to hold position on the Option, but once we pitted for the Prime tyre, I really struggled for pace and couldn’t push as hard as I wanted to in order to get more out of the car.
“I can’t explain why for now, so we will need to look at the data to see why we were just too slow for much of the weekend.â€
On the positive side for Ricciardo, his teammate, Jean-Eric Verge, was forced to retire with a hydraulics problem.
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
Lewis Hamilton has added to his Mercedes AMG’s excellent qualifying performances this year by claiming pole position for the German Grand Prix. The silver arrows have started from P1 six times this year, split evenly at three apiece for each driver.
Hamilton’s best lap (1:29.398) edged out the Red Bull Racing pairing. Home town hero Sebastian Vettel (1:29.501) will start from P2. Mark Webber (1:29.608) will line up on the clean side of the grid from P3, with Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus, 1:29.892) on P4.
Starting from the the third row are Romain Grosjean (Lotus, 1:29.959) and Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso, 1:30.528). The two Ferraris will line up on the fourth row with Felipe Massa (1:31.126) ahead of Fernando Alonso (1:31.209).
Ricciardo’s P6 position equals his career best qualifying result, which was set last weekend at Silverstone. At the Nürburgring he will start 10 places ahead of his teammate, Jean-Eric Vergne (1:31.104) who was the slowest of the drivers knocked out at the end of Q2.
Daniel’s stocks are rising as the race for Mark Webber’s Red Bull seat in 2014 hots up. Both he and his team admit P6 is a result they weren’t expecting.
“I’m really delighted with the way qualifying went and it’s very encouraging to be sixth fastest for the second race in a row, which means we are seeing signs of progress and consistency,” the 24-year-old Australian said. “However, it was not as straightforward here as in Silverstone last week and we definitely had to pull something out of the bag to do the time and get into Q3.
“We exceeded our expectations today, as in FP3 we did not look so strong. I was particularly pleased with my Q2 lap. I think we did the best we could today and now we look ahead to the race.”
The great thing is Daniel expectations of what’s possible on Sunday have also changed these last few races, as he later explained.
“Last weekend I felt there was a better result than eighth waiting for me and I would like to go for better than seventh, which is my best finish so far. If there’s a chance of a podium, let’s go for it! Nothing’s impossible.â€
As usual, you can read the thoughts of the top three drivers after the break.
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
At the FIA’s Thursday press conference ahead of the German Grand Prix the drivers were asked about the new kevlar-belted Pirelli tyres. Luke Smith from NBC Sports asked: “Pirelli are bringing in new construction of tyres for the race weekend. From a safety aspect, how comfortable do you feel racing with these tyres?”
With word also coming through that the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association has said the drivers will boycott the race if the tyre blow outs experienced at the British Grand Prix are repeated it was a very good question.
Here are the replies from the six drivers in attendance at the press conference:
Sergio Perez: Well, I think it’s definitely important to change something for safety, no longer for the performance. I think it’s very important that we as drivers feel safe, something that could really happen, a big accident in the last race weekend, so I think that definitely it’s a good thing that Pirelli is reacting to make a change.
Nico Hulkenberg: Yeah, I agree with Sergio. I think it is for safety now and there must be some action and there is some action, there are changes and I think generally this track here is not as high speed, not as many high speed corners so the tyres don’t get as hard a time as they did at Silverstone. So I’m confident that this will be safe now.
Adrian Sutil: Yeah, as long as it’s for safety, I think they have to improve it, yes, but it hasn’t been a hundred percent that it was a rear tyre issue, so one says it’s a tyre issue what caused the punctures at Silverstone, some people say it’s maybe kerbing or something like that, so it’s always hard to see where the problem is, but four punctures in a race is too much, so they have to get behind it. I feel safe on these tyres and had no problems with them. I had some two stop races, I did a two stop strategy in Silverstone so for me the concern is not so much.
Daniel Ricciardo: Not much more to add. All I can say is that you’re driving as hard as you can and you don’t really put it… it’s definitely at the back of your mind. As we saw at the weekend, the tyres that went… it was pretty instant… I don’t think any of the drivers felt much before it happened, so all we can do is drive hard and hang on, but I’m definitely… yeah, I’m sure the changes that they’ve made are going to be for the best. But it’s definitely at the back of our mind whilst we’re in the car.
Sebastian Vettel: I think first of all that it’s good that within not even a week’s time, how we were able to get a different tyre for this race which hopefully is safer for all of us. Obviously the last race was not what we want and not satisfactory so I think it’s good that we have a new tyre here. How much better and how different it will be is difficult to judge at this stage but I’m confident that it’s a step forward.
Nico Rosberg: Well, I trust the FIA is going to make the right calls, as they are, they’re working on it flat out together with Pirelli, so I’m sure there’s going to be progress and it shouldn’t be a concern this weekend.
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association has threatened to boycott this weekend’s German Grand Prix if there is a repeat of the tyre dramas seen at Silverstone last week.
Pirelli says it has identified the four main factors responsible for the spectacular tyre failures in the British Grand Prix and will use kevlar-belted tyres at the Nürburgring.
If the new measures don’t work, the GPDA has put Pirelli on notice. “The drivers of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association wish to express their deepest concerns about the events that took place at Silverstone,” said a GPDA statement.
“We trust that the changes made to the tyres will have the desired results and that similar problems will not occur during the German GP weekend.
“We are ready to drive our cars to the limit, as we always do, and as it is expected by our teams, sponsors and fans.
“However, the drivers have decided that, if similar problems should manifest themselves during the German GP, we shall immediately withdraw from the event, as this avoidable problem with the tyres endangers again the lives of drivers, marshals and fans.”
We’ve no reason to believe that the drivers wouldn’t follow through with their threat to withdraw, but if tyre problem do re-occur we’d also not be surprised if the drivers backed down and raced, perhaps with special conditions. It wouldn’t be the first time drivers threaten to withdraw from a race on safety concerns, only to renege at the last moment.
[Source: Autosport | Pic: Ferrari]
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso won the 2010 German Grand Prix. Good for him, it was a hard fought victory and if only that lowly team assistant in the bottom left of corner didn’t ruin the photo opportunity above as the Spaniard held the winning trophy aloft. Who is that guy anyway? Has anyone ever seen him before?
Actually, come to think of it, he could be the little bugger who stole Ferrari’s $100,000 social club kitty. Poor Fernando had no money for champagne to celebrate his win because of that guy. A professional outfit like Ferrari really should keep such team matters in check. There’s no “I” in team, after all.
You can see a few pics from Hockenheim after the jump. I must apologise; a number of the images provided have a Ferrari sweep car in the way, spoiling the view of Alonso’s car. No matter, though, the sweep car found its place before the chequered flag. Phew!
This weekend Mark is thinking about a lot of German drivers on the grid, a huge history and repeating his 2009 success. A matching pair of German Grand Prix victories at the Nürburgring and Hockenheim would make a nice set, don’t you think.