Formula 1 returns to Germany after an absence of 2 years – and hopefully not for the last time, as contractual obligations imposed by Formula One Management still hamper German circuits’ ability to host the Grand Prix each year (interest in Fomula 1 in Germany has waned since the days of Schumacher). We can hope for a positive outcome, but if all things remain the same, this might be the last Grand Prix we see in Germany for quite some time, as Hockenheim’s contract expires at the end of 2018.
Doom and gloom aside, we should be in for a close battle again at the front, though Ferrari might be smelling blood. Here’s why:
Ferrari’s apparent engine advantage
Hockenheim may no longer be the fearsome, super high-speed dash through the forest that it used to be, but it still rewards those with plenty of grunt in the engine department with a handful of flat-out sections. Ferrari are rumoured to have the most powerful engine in Formula 1 at the moment – edging out even Mercedes’ physics-defying turbo motor. With Lewis Hamilton, Christian Horner and even Ferrari themselves insisting that the Italian team’s motor is the most powerful, Ferrari definitely have a foot in the door already.
The evidence of Ferrari’s advancement in terms of power is undeniable – beating Mercedes at Silverstone (where Mercedes dominated for years), having 6 Ferrari-powered cars in the final top 10 at Austria, their dominant win in Canada, and Sauber-Ferrari’s return to the midfield. Remember too that Mercedes had a very embarrassing double car failure in Austria, so Ferrari are sitting pretty at this stage of the season.
Ferrari’s low and medium-speed cornering ability
Mercedes have struggled (ie. not always won) for a few years now at lower speed circuits – Monaco and Singapore most notably. With several hairpins and low-speed sections on the modern-day equivalent of the Hockenheimring, Mercedes will be breaking a sweat, as the Ferraris and Red Bulls tend to gain a lot of time in these sections.
Competition between the frontrunners should be relatively tight in the first sector, but heavily in Ferrari’s favour in the second and third sectors – this is because a good sector 2 time will rely on a very good exit out of turn 4 – where the Ferrari should be strongest. All things considered, the Ferrari should have a slight lead over a Mercedes by the time we reach turn 6, due to Ferrari’s Mercedes-matching top speeds. Turn 6 is the slowest corner of the circuit – ie. Ferrari territory, and the low-to-medium speed complex between turns 8 and 11 in theory is where Ferrari should be opening up an even bigger gap. The final sector gives Ferrari another go at a medium-speed sector, which allows Ferrari to put the nail in the coffin for Mercedes.
Hordes of German fans
With a German in a genuinely competitive red car, many Germans will be keen to check out this Formula 1 thing again, and as we’ve seen so many times in the past with Lewis Hamilton, the Best Fans™ always make a massive difference over the course of a weekend. 5 British Grand Prix wins for the England-born ace are no coincidence!
What are the odds like for this weekend?
It’s the same old story over at Betway – Lewis Hamilton appears to be being favoured for the win with 2.45* attributed to his victory, and 2.60* for Vettel to win. You know something they don’t, so why not test our theory and multiply your bet with a Vettel win?
The championship fight looks hotter than ever, and the top 3 teams will be vying for the top spot in the run up to the mid-year break – can Ferrari keep their momentum in the development race and finally beat Mercedes over the course of a season?
Don’t forget to catch practice and qualifying on Friday and Saturday – don’t miss any of the action!