Max Verstappen capitalized with Mercedes uncharastically self destructing as well as Charles Leclerc ending his day early with a mistake and cruised to his second Formula One victory of the season and seventh of his career in Sunday’s wet and wild German Grand Prix.
We knew that the rain would be coming. It was much needed for the region as Europe has been in a record setting heat wave. But, it would also affect Sunday’s race at Hockenheim too.
Hamilton, got off course and into the wall while leading. He’d have a rough day in making six pit stops and finished a disappointing 11th for his first time crossing the finish line at the end without being in the points. But, following post race penalties, he ends up ninth overall for his worst finish since 2013.
Hamilton, had won the last two years in Germany and had five wins in his last six starts on the year as well. But, he had a terrible day and in the last time he did, Verstappen won as well.
Valtteri Bottas crashed and didn’t finish in his No. 77 Mercedes. Last year, the duo went 1-2. This year, they fail to score points. Mercedes had won all three times that F1 has been coming to the country since 2014 too.
Leclerc looked like the next best bet to win but he too crashed and would not finish.
Verstappen, had to maneuver through the carnage all day and stave off the field on a couple of late race restart but it panned out in his No. 33 Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda.
Sebastian Vettel came from last to finish runner-up for his first podium in four races and his third second place finish of the season. It was also his first podium in his home country since his win several years ago. Vettel, made up seen position over the final 15 laps of the race and showed that if he had qualified up front, he could have won.
Daniil Kvyat surprisingly finished third in his No. 26 Toro Rosso Honda to give the Japanese manufacturer two cars on the podium. It was just the second ever podium for Toro Rosso as the other was in 2009.
Lance Stroll went off strategy and wet to dry tires and despite falling out of the podium, did finish fourth in his No. 18 Racing Point entry.
Carlos Sainz Jr. rounded out the top five in his No. 55 McLaren Renault to give us five different teams in the top five. It was his fourth straight top eight finish on the season too.
Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly had contact on the final lap sending Gasly with a DNF and Albon with a career best sixth place result.
For Red Bull, it was their first Hockenheim win and the first time that two different Honda powered teams were on the podium since the Australian Grand Prix in 1988.
Hamilton still leads Bottas by 41 points in the standings heading to Hungary next weekend. Verstappen moves to 63 points behind while Vettel (-84) and Leclerc (-105) round out the top five.
German Grand Prix Results
- 33 Verstappen
- 5 Vettel
- 26 Kvyat
- 18 Stroll
- 55 Sainz Jr.
- 23 Albon R
- 8 Grosjean
- 20 Magnussen
- 44 Hamilton
- 88 Kubica
- 63 Russell R
- 7 Raikkonen
- 99 Gioviniazzi R
- 10 Gasly OUT
- 77 Bottas OUT
- 27 Hulkenberg OUT
- 16 Leclerc OUT
- 4 Norris R OUT
- 3 Ricciardo OUT
- 11 Perez OUT
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