[Race] 2014 German Grand Prix

[MikeManNZ]

Better 3rd than DNF

[Knowlesy]

Bottas nails the exit of turn two every time.

[MikeManNZ]

Well done Nico.

Great drive from Lewis.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Rosberg. The German GP, won in a German car by a 'German' driver.

[Peter Mallett]

Great drive from Bottas too.

[MikeManNZ]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Great drive from Bottas too.

I agree, future champion there for sure.

[Knowlesy]

Finnish 1-2.

Well done Nico!

[marcel82]

Maldonado gained 6 places, without crashing into anyone. amazing.

[Sodemo]

Go Bottas. Yes!

[Ryan Smith]

That was a really good race.

Hamilton was always at a disadvantage here, starting 20th due to a gearbox change (not quite sure why Mercedes changed it - any ideas?) - but the commitment he showed early on was amazing. By lap 14 he was up into P5, now my maths isn't the best, but in average that's a pass per lap (I think). It was unfortunate that he made contact with Button, but I think it was only fair as he did come together with Raikkonen's front wing into the hairpin at one stage in the race.
Two more stand out drivers for me were Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat; Ricciardo was driving well considering he was down in P15 after the incident into turn 1 involving Magnussen and Massa (just on a little side note and an opinion, I think Massa was at fault for the incident, purely because he was looking at his team-mates car more than he was at the ones beside him, just glad that he was okay as it looked really violent in real time). Kvyat was quietly getting on with his race, it was a shame to see his car go up into flames in the middle of the race but the important thing was that he was okay too.

Overall a very good race, enjoyed watching it, now looking forward to Hungary!

[Knowlesy]

Welcome Ryan.

[Ryan Smith]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Welcome Ryan.

Thank-you!

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Finnish 1-2.

Well done Nico!

If Räikkönen was on the podium it would have been an All-Finnish Podium. ('cuz personally Rosberg raced with a Finnish flag in his early career)

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by TheNo1F1Fan

Räikkönen

on the podium

[Tucky]

Originally Posted by Tucky

Also, who do you reckon'll finish ahead, Bottas or Massa? My money's on Bottas, partly because I think he's got great race pace but also because Massa luck means he will either retire from car failure or someone will crash into him

Called it!

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Tucky

Called it!

You didn't, as it was Massa who crashed into someone.

"Ooh I'll just sweep sharply in behind my teammate, surely nobody else will be around me..."

*clatter*

Massa is quite unlucky, but there are days where he can drop the most awful clangers.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

[Articus]

Woke up after the race had concluded having dreamed that Alonso pulled off a masterstroke...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Articus

Woke up after the race had concluded having dreamed that Alonso pulled off a masterstroke...

Welcome back to reality. .

He sort of did, that battle with Ricciardo was fantastic.

[Sodemo]

In my view, that first corner at Hockenheim is designed perfectly to create first corner crashes. It narrows from the grid, so you have cars being funnelled, then the apex kerb is so short and also has a massive suspension destroying sausage kerb on the inside (so KM couldn't use it as an escape). It reminds me of the silverstone copse corner that was redesigned to make it "safer" in about 1994, but in turn generated a number of crashes, including a huge touring car pile up with about 10 cars involved. Copse was then changed back to something more like its original configuration in 1997 and as a result is much safer.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

In my view, that first corner at Hockenheim is designed perfectly to create first corner crashes. It narrows from the grid, so you have cars being funnelled, then the apex kerb is so short and also has a massive suspension destroying sausage kerb on the inside (so KM couldn't use it as an escape). It reminds me of the silverstone copse corner that was redesigned to make it "safer" in about 1994, but in turn generated a number of crashes, including a huge touring car pile up with about 10 cars involved. Copse was then changed back to something more like its original configuration in 1997 and as a result is much safer.

That's exactly what I thought watching qualifying. That does look very dangerous and despite the Magnussen/Massa incident looking like a racing one imo (Massa couldn't have seen Magnussen because Bottas was there and tbf he left room on the apex, but as you say Magnussen had nowhere to go, having backed out from being alongside Bottas) it happened and there is certainly potential for a bigger incident to happen in the future.

[Knowlesy]

Looks like the dreaded day has come that a Hermann Tilke track is being called out for safety mods. Next step: cars clad in giant hi-vis vests. I'm out!

Of course, in fairness, that is a part of the old track. But given it is already massacred by tarmac runoff I think we can leave it be.

[GT6]

Just watched the bbc2 highlights and enjoyed it, thought the scheduling of the film Grand prix just before was very apt in view of the news about James gardner IMHO a very good film with the established stars being overstaged by brilliant performances by Graham and Phil Hill.

[Articus]

I'm looking at the incident with Magnussen and Massa and yes well it's clear that Magnussen had nowhere to go after the fact, it looks like Magnussen was at fault.

3 into 1? That was never going to come off. Especially when you are the the driver who is forcing the 3 wide situation, as Magnussen was, you have to be aware of how doors will open and close very rapidly. Just seems like a rookie mistake (don't mean that in a negative way).

[Ryan Smith]

Originally Posted by Articus

I'm looking at the incident with Magnussen and Massa and yes well it's clear that Magnussen had nowhere to go after the fact, it looks like Magnussen was at fault.

3 into 1? That was never going to come off. Especially when you are the the driver who is forcing the 3 wide situation, as Magnussen was, you have to be aware of how doors will open and close very rapidly. Just seems like a rookie mistake (don't mean that in a negative way).

I see where you're coming from here, Articus. But at the same time you have to take into account that Massa should have been a lot more wise about his choices into T1, given his experience in the sport.