TRACKSIDE VIEW
Vettel is less aggressive
than his team-mate in
tricky Hockenheim Turn 13
ANDRE22 AUTOSPORT.COM 1 AUGUST 2019RACE CENTRE GERMAN GP
trying to get in tight and the fact
that Leclerc has a moment suggests
it’s caused by his wariness of the
rear end misbehaving.
Valtteri Bottas appears to
be struggling a little to get the
Mercedes stopped consistently
well. Early in the session, there’s
a lock-up and he runs deep. His
line is a little more erratic than
that achieved by team-mate Lewis
Hamilton, perhaps a manifestation
of the braking troubles that he
struggled with in qualifying a fewhours later. Even so, Hamilton has
the same wobble on his quick lap.
Those drivers struggling to
master the line are often sucked in
to turning in too early, which creates
its own problems. While they get the
front end in more effectively, it
means the line for the exit of the
corner is tighter and occasionally
leads to a wild ride over the exit
kerb. Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen
has a few early turn-in attempts
before moderating his approach,
but it’s rare anyone aces the corner.Hockenheim’s unique stadium
also creates a glorious atmosphere,
but with a twist. Every time Vettel
does something, a cheer erupts- but it’s not only red shirts and
caps in the grandstands. Max
Verstappen’s orange army is also
there, going head-to-head with
the home crowd in something of a
cheer-off. It’s a reminder of just how
much Verstappen’s presence brings
to F1, with his fans enlivening the
grandstands of every European race.
EDD STRAW
Perhaps the most famous German
Grand Prix corner is one that hasn’t
been part of the race for 43 years- the legendary Karussell on the
Nurburgring Nordschleife. A long,
slow corner with a paved, banked
section that demands drivers get
the nose in and then work the
banking to their advantage.
Get it right, and there’s a lot
of time to be found.
Hockenheim isn’t the
Nurburgring, but it does have its
own mini version of the Karussell.
Shorter, but still banked in a way
that isn’t captured well by the TV
cameras. Add to the mix the gravel
trap waiting to catch out those who
overcommit, as it did race leader
Sebastian Vettel last year, and the
Turn 13 left-hander in the stadium
section is a tricky corner.
The camber helps the front end
a little on entry, but it’s all too easy
to over-commit. Watching during
Saturday’s one-hour free practice
session, there are a variety of lines
being taken – often by the same
driver on different laps.
There’s a contrast between Vettel
and Ferrari team-mate Charles
Leclerc. The latter seems able to get
the car a little tighter towards the
apex, although on his qualifying
simulation lap the rear end doesn’t
quite work with him and steps out,
forcing a correction and a wider
line. Vettel is less aggressively