LIVE 2018 German Grand Prix – FORMULA 1 EMIRATES GROSSER PREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND 2018
Location: Hockenheim, Germany
Circuit: Hockenheimring
Race: 2018 German Grand Prix – Formula 1 Emirates Grossier Preis Von Deutschland 2018
The weather conditions are good at the moment and the drivers are now out on the track for the track parade – you can see some of the interviews from the drivers below.
TRACK PARADE – LIVE 2018 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
Lewis Hamilton: “This is a amazing circuit. It has it’s ups and downs and I’ll just do what I can. I just told Valtteri to go out there and do what he can – I know that he will do it.”
Valtteri Bottas: “We are hopeful, we need luck this weekend, they look strong (Ferrari) but we will try everything we can to get ahead.”
Max Verstappen: “It’s great to see a lot of orange around the track, I just hope that we can have a good race and be on the podium. It should be a fun afternoon so lets see!”
Sebastian Vettel: ” There was no mistakes yesterday so it was a good lap and the car felt great yesterday. It’s great to be able to get this result in front of the home crowd. Fingers crossed for the race and hopefully we will have a good one.”
Charles Leclerc: “I will do what I can. We are starting from P9 but there are two cars who will overtake quickly which is Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton but we will do what we can and see how it goes.”
Following the National Anthem, the drivers are now making their way back to their cars and getting ready for the race. Last minute adjustments as the drivers get in their cars for the German Grand Prix.
Drivers are now in their cars and we’re getting ready for the formation lap ahead of the race – clouds have started to collect over the track and there is a possibility that we will see rain.
2018 German Grand Prix LIVE
As mentioned further above, the clouds have started to collect over the track, dark clouds, so there is a possibility that we may see some rain during the race.
Tyre choices for the race- Medium, Soft and Ultrasoft however if we see rain, the wets will be making an appearance.
FORMATION LAP
Drivers are now making their way round the track for the formation lap, getting their cars and tyres ready for the start of the race.
Team to Sainz: “There’s a lot of showers developing around us, not quite sure when it will hit us though.”
Lap 1
Everyone has kept the start clean, Vettel and Bottas both get a good start however Vettel leads into the first corner. There’s a battle going on between Verstappen and Raikkonen.
Lap 2
Hamilton has gained two places, he’s keeping it calm and making his way through slowly.
The crowds are cheering for Sebastian Vettel who’s leading the race.
Kimi Raikkonen: “I have a few drops of rain.”
There’s a few drops of rain on Kimi Raikkonen’s visor – rain could change this race.
Lap 4
Sebastian Vettel setting fastest lap times.
Hamilton now up into P11 – making his way past Alonso who made it easy for him.
DRS has now been enabled as Hamilton makes his way up to P10, passing Leclerc.
Lap 8
There’s a battling ongoing between Perez and Grosjean – Hamilton right behind.
Hamilton now makes his way past Grosjean and is up into P8 – from P14, it’s a good start.
Lap 10
Ricciardo is at the back of the grid, he’s slowly making his way through and is now up into P14
Lap 15
Kimi Raikkonen is the first front-runner coming into the pits for a tyre change – it could have been a way to try and bring the Mercedes in but it didn’t work.
In other news, Lewis Hamilton is up into P5 – a great result for him after starting from P14.
Lap 24
Ricciardo has now made his way up to P6, another good result after starting at the back.
Lap 26
Sebastian Vettel now comes into the pits – Bottas leads the race with Verstappen, Raikkonen, Vettel and Hamilton behind.
Kimi Raikkonen now sets a fastest lap time – he’s looking strong this weekend.
Lap 28
Vettel locks up on his fresh tyres.
Valtteri Bottas now comes into the pits.
Verstappen leads the race with Raikkonen, Vettel, Hamilton and Bottas right behind.
DANIEL RICCIARDO IS OUT OF THE RACE
Lap 30
Raikkonen now leads the race with Vettel right behind as Verstappen comes into the pits.
Kimi Raikkonen now sets another fastest lap time – he’s looking strong on these tyres.
Lap 31
Valttier Bottas now sets a fastest lap time – it’s close.
Lap 32
Fernando Alonso now comes into the pits.
Vettel has locked up again on the fresh tyres.
Lap 33
Raikkonen: “I see some blisters on my tyres.”
Vettel: “My rear tyres are getting quite hot.”
Team to Vettel: “There is rain forecast in the next 10 minutes.”
Not too sure what’s going on with Ferrari – both drivers are at the front yet both are struggling with their tyres.
Vetel: “This is just silly – I’m losing time with these tyres.”
Lap 34
Lewis Hamilton is up in P3 – he hasn’t come into the pits yet, maybe Mercedes are waiting for the rain which is forecast in the next 10 minutes or so.
Lap 35
Stoffel Vandoorne is slowing down – it looks like there’s an issue with his car, the pit-crew are waiting for him.
STOFFEL VANDOORNE IS OUT OF THE RACE
Lap 36
Team to Vettel: “How fast can you go? How much faster can you go?”
Lap 37
Vettel: “Can you see the tyre temperature? Can you see it?”
He suffered with another lock-up.
Lap 39
Team to Raikkonen: “OK Kimi, this is Jock – you’re on different strategies and you both need to look after your tyres. You don’t need to hold him up.”
Raikkonen: “Er…. OK – what do you want me to do.”
Team to Raikkonen: “We need to not lose a lot of time.”
Raikkonen: “So you just want me to let him go – tell me.”
Lap 40
Team to Bottas: “We should have rain in the next 8 minutes.”
Lap 41
Team to Alonso: “Fernando, the rain looks like it’s on the way – it will hit Turn 1 and 2 first.”
Lap 42
Team to Hamilton: “Box, box – Box, Box”
He’s going on the ultra soft tyres.
Lap 43
Team to Hamilton: “There might be an appearance of rain – it will be very light though so you’re on these tyres which are the best option.”
Lap 44
RAIN – we have rain! It’s only on part of the track at the moment but we’ll have to see.
The Ferrari garage are waiting with tyres on one side….
Things could be changing in the 2018 German Grand Prix.
Lap 45
Fernando Alonso now comes in for a change to the intermediate tyres.
On one side of the track, it’s sunny and dry. On the other side of the track, there’s rain!
Lap 48
Sebastian Vettel has a little issue – part of his wing has come off at some point of the track.
Team to Vettel: “Rain decreasing, rain decreasing.”
Pierre Gasly comes back into the pits to change his tyres from wets to ultrasofts – why did he go onto the wet tyres!?
Lap 49
Woah – a spin for Charles Leclerc, luckily – he saves the car.
Lap 50
Hamilton: “It’s raining a lot now.”
Team to Hamilton: “OK, Lewis we’re looking and this will last for 3 minutes – keep a look out.”
Again, part of the track is wet, part of the track is dry.
Lap 51
Leclerc goes off track – he’s struggling.
Bottas has closed the gap to Raikkonen – he manages to make his way past and is now up into P2!
It’s crazy on the track, a problem for Perez who spins.
Raikkonen: “Aghhh – he blocked me completely.”
Hamilton has now started to gain on Raikkonen.
Lap 53
SEBASTIAN VETTEL IS OUT OF THE RACE
Lap 54
SERGEY SIROTKIN IS OUT OF THE RACE
The Safety Car is in this lap – Raikkonen has come into the pits and now LEWIS HAMILTON leads the race, what a change for the 2018 German Grand Prix!
Lap 56
Bottas and Raikkonen are on the fresher tyre compared to Lewis.
Hamilton: “The safety car really needs to pick up the pace… tyres are cold.”
Hamilton: “There’s still bits of rain around the track.”
Lap 58
There’s 10 laps to go – Hamilton leads the race with Bottas right behind. There’s a battle for the top 3 as Raikkonen just stays behind.
Lap 59
DRS has now been enabled and Bottas is out of DRS reach at the moment – what a race this is.
Lap 60
Lewis Hamilton now sets the fastest lap time – he’s leading the race.
Lap 61
Sainz reporting that it’s starting to rain again – what a race the 2018 German Grand Prix has become….
Team to Bottas: “Valtteri, it’s James – please hold position. I’m sorry.”
Bottas: “OK James, copy.”
Lap 65
Team to Bottas: “So the rain will be heavier – it will be coming in.”
Lap 66
Team to Hamilton: “OK Lewis, a chance of rain will be on the last lap – the last lap.”
Lap 67
Lewis Hamilton now starts the final lap of the German Grand Prix setting a time of 1:15.545 – he’s making his way round the Hockenheimring.
Sebastian Vettel has been seen in the pit-lane, greeting the team following the incident causing him to be out of the race.
LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE 2018 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
He’s now back in the lead for the drivers championship.
Driver Reaction following the 2018 German Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton: “It’s very difficult from that position to imagine that you’ll win. I said a long, long prayer before the race and the team did such an incredible job. I kept pushing, I believed and I manifested my dream today so I thank God.”
“I haven’t thought about the championship, the conditions out there were perfect – you didn’t know what was going to happen out there and I’m just so so grateful for the team and all their hard work.”
Valtteri Bottas: “As a driver, when Seb went off – I thought I could do it but we moved and Lewis took the win, we all take the positives as a team
Kimi Raikkonen: “Obviously it was a big moment in the race. I did a two stop and the race is what happened – it was a tricky race with the rain and it was slippery.”
Lots more will be online this evening.
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