Hockenheim – What can we expect from this weekend’s Grand Prix?

The return home for Mercedes

Buoyed by their double victory last weekend, the Mercedes team will experience this Grand Prix on home ground. And even if the situation still seems tense but under control within the team, that doesn’t prevent the organization of an event featuring three splendid cars from the Silver Arrows brand.

How about a splash of #Hockenheim magic to kick-start your Thursday? Check THIS out! #F1istZurueck #F1 #GermanGPhttps://t.co/1jtJlGeQ9j

— MERCEDES AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) 28 juillet

On the menu, Mercedes offers the 1998 World Champion McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 with Nico Rosberg at the wheel, a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196r driven by Pascal Wehrlein, and a 1934 Mercedes-Benz W25 with the steering wheel entrusted to Nico Hülkenberg. This 100% Germanic event showcases three legendary machines with three drivers from across the Rhine.

After Hungary, Hamilton in the lead

Still on the German team’s side, the battle for the top of the drivers’ championship is reaching a climax for this national event. Hamilton, having regained the championship lead last weekend, is now ahead of his teammate by just 6 points. Rosberg is determined to turn the tide at his home and reconnect with victory, a feeling he’s only experienced once since the Barcelona incident that sparked tension in the relationship with his British teammate.

The war between Ferrari and Red Bull

On the other hand, outside the championship led solely by Mercedes, the two runner-up teams Ferrari and Red Bull are engaged in an open and relentless battle to claim second place in the team standings. Only a small point separates the two teams before this weekend, and the results after Hungary give an advantage to Red Bull, which is demonstrating better health and confidence. At Ferrari, they are trying to hold their heads high, but the results are not as expected, and the atmosphere is not the same as in the Austrian team, as evidenced by the very recent announced separation yesterday between the Italian team and its technical director James Allison, even though his contract was set to run until 2017.

When the Rain Becomes an F1 Fan

For three race weekends already, rain has been a guest, whether during practice, qualifying, or the race. Thus, as one might expect judging by the weather seen in the video from the Mercedes event at the circuit, rain is likely to make another appearance this weekend, much to the chagrin of the many drivers recently caught out by the edge of the track or damp patches off the racing line. As we approach the summer break, it seems the clouds and showers have subscribed to attend the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

This weather variant will disrupt this rediscovery of the German circuit, which was absent from the calendar last year and has only once seen its track graced by single-seaters powered by the hybrid engine block. The expected significant performance improvements might be revised downward if the track remains soaked, at least for Friday if current forecasts are to be believed.