Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global

German GP: Hamilton wins from 14th as Vettel crashes out

Lewis Hamilton took victory in a sensational Formula 1 German Grand Prix while his title rival Sebastian Vettel crashed out as rain struck the Hockenheim circuit.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1, celebrates victory in parc ferme

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1, celebrates victory in parc ferme

Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel; Ferrari SF71H crashed out of the lead
Starting grid
Start ation
Race action
Start action
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W09
Fans in a grandstand set off flares
Marcus Ericsson, Sauber C37
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB14
Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team R.S. 18, leads Charles Leclerc, Sauber C37
Marcus Ericsson, Sauber C37
Sergey Sirotkin, Williams FW41, leads Lance Stroll, Williams FW41
Fernando Alonso, McLaren MCL33, leads Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB14
Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB14, leads Fernando Alonso, McLaren MCL33
Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso STR13, runs wide
Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso STR13, leads Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren MCL33
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF71H, leads Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 W09, Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF71H, and Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB14
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W09, chases Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team R.S. 18

Vettel had led for the majority of the race from pole position, but slithered out of contention from the lead on lap 52 of the 67-lap race.

The German hit his steering wheel in frustration at the mistake of crashing into the Turn 13 barriers.

 

Hamilton started 14th and took advantage of the downpour that soaked the circuit in the latter stages that caught out a number of drivers – including Vettel – and which led to the safety car to be deployed.

In the chaos, there was an instant reversal of fortune as a Ferrari 1-2 became a Mercedes 1-2 during the rain shower.

All race, teams were constantly trying to second guess the conditions and most drivers stayed out on dry-weather tyres while the storm passed and the circuit began to quickly dry up.

Hamilton in particular was helped by having pitted for fresh ultrasoft tyres not long before the rain began to fall, while many of his rivals were on more used tyres.

Valtteri Bottas finished in second, but had an attempt at overtaking his teammate when the safety car period ended on lap 57.

The Finn got alongside Hamilton at the Turn 6 hairpin, but Hamilton was just able to retain the lead. Just a lap later, Bottas was instructed to hold position.

Kimi Raikkonen took third place, ahead of Max Verstappen's Red Bull. The Dutchman had been one of those to gamble on intermediate tyres when the rain started to fall in just one section of the track.

Two laps later, Verstappen had returned back to the pits for dry tyres – the gamble failed – but then the whole circuit was doused.

Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso also switched to intermediate tyres, only to go back to slicks soon after, while Pierre Gasly was sent out on full wets and went into the gravel.

Nico Hulkenberg was fifth for Renault, ahead of Romain Grosjean's Haas and the two Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon.

Sauber's Marcus Ericsson and Toro Rosso driver Brendon Hartley both benefitted from the chaotic conditions to scoop the final point-finishing positions, the latter after Carlos Sainz was handed a 10s penalty.

At the start, Vettel led away from Bottas, Raikkonen and Verstappen and was comfortably in control of his home race. By lap 25, Vettel held a five-second lead over Bottas when he came in to pit from ultrasofts to softs.

His Ferrari teammate Raikkonen was the first of the frontrunners to pit on lap 14 and once the first stops were over, the Finn held a slim lead over Vettel.

But the German was on tyres that were 11 laps fresher and Raikkonen was instructed by engineering director Jock Clear to led Vettel past.

Hamilton started on the soft tyre and made swift progress in the early laps to make his way through the field. After starting 14th, he was up to seventh by lap eight.

Daniel Ricciardo stopped after 27 laps due to a loss of power in the second Red Bull, having made his way up from the back of the grid to sixth in the early stages.

Both Williams drivers also failed to finish, Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin stopping within two laps of each other in the closing stages.

ClaDriverChassisEngineTime
1 united_kingdom Lewis Hamilton  Mercedes Mercedes  
2 finland Valtteri Bottas  Mercedes Mercedes 4.535
3 finland Kimi Raikkonen  Ferrari Ferrari 6.732
4 netherlands Max Verstappen  Red Bull TAG 7.654
5 germany Nico Hulkenberg  Renault Renault 26.609
6 france Romain Grosjean  Haas Ferrari 28.871
7 mexico Sergio Perez  Force India Mercedes 30.556
8 france Esteban Ocon  Force India Mercedes 31.750
9 sweden Marcus Ericsson  Sauber Ferrari 32.362
10 new_zealand Brendon Hartley  Toro Rosso Honda 34.197
11 denmark Kevin Magnussen  Haas Ferrari 34.919
12 spain Carlos Sainz  Renault Renault 43.069
13 belgium Stoffel Vandoorne  McLaren Renault 46.617
14 france Pierre Gasly  Toro Rosso Honda 1 lap
15 monaco Charles Leclerc  Sauber Ferrari 1 lap
16 spain Fernando Alonso  McLaren Renault 1 lap
17 canada Lance Stroll  Williams Mercedes 14 laps
18 germany Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari Ferrari 16 laps
19 russia Sergey Sirotkin  Williams Mercedes 16 laps
20 australia Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull TAG 40 laps

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Ricciardo ready to sign Red Bull deal “early next week”
Next article Mercedes explains team orders call on Bottas

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global