Germany: 2018 Flashback and Winner Predictions
Maybe one of the last times Formula 1 comes to Hockenheim. Despite the spectacle that the German circuit offered last year, the arrival of new tracks puts it on the hot seat.
2018 in broad strokes: A dramatic mistake by Sebastian Vettel that hands victory to Lewis Hamilton.
Last season, Sebastian managed to place his Ferrari in pole position, ahead of Valtteri Bottas by just two tenths. The situation was more difficult for Lewis Hamilton, who had to abandon Q2 due to a mechanical failure. This problem with the Briton’s Mercedes gave his title rival a significant advantage.
The five-time German world champion maintained the lead of the race at the start and was already beginning to widen the gap with Valtteri Bottas. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton started a remarkable comeback. Car number 44 found himself among the leaders, in fifth place by the fourteenth lap. On the 26th lap, Vettel dived into the pits to get rid of his worn ultra-soft tires.
Not spared by his Renault engine, Daniel Ricciardo was forced to head back to the paddock earlier than expected due to a problem that occurred on the 29th lap. Despite very threatening clouds, Mercedes chose to ignore them and fitted Lewis Hamilton with ultra-soft tires. It was probably impossible for the Briton to complete more laps on his soft tires that he had used for three-quarters of the race.
The 52nd lap of this action-packed race became the turning point of the race but more specifically of the championship when Vettel crashed in turn number 9. Curtain fall for the German who subsequently won only one Grand Prix.
Now with a 17-point lead, Lewis Hamilton could soar towards a fifth title by taking advantage of an extremely high-performing W09.
The Editorial Team’s Prediction:
The heatwave could spice up the results. Leclerc should surely finish on the podium and perhaps even win the first race of his career. The local hero, Sebastian Vettel, is expected to take his revenge on 2018 to finally claim a victory this season. He could even secure pole position. Lewis Hamilton remains, of course, the favorite driver both for the victory and for the first position in qualifying. Pierre Gasly is one to watch as the Frenchman could score his first podium.
