Germany win is just another race for steely Vettel

 

 Nurburgring: Triple world champion Sebastian Vettel is not one for tears or emotional pronouncements and even his first victory at his home German Grand Prix on Sunday was treated largely like any other race.
The 26-year-old Red Bull driver has dominated Formula One for the past three years and leads the standings again by 34 points but his CV was missing a victory on home asphalt and a win in July.
Now that has been chalked off it is onwards and upwards, with little fanfare and lots of single-minded determination.

Vettel has dominated F1 for the past three years and leads the standings again by 34 points but he was missing a victory on home asphalt and a win in July.

"In the end it's just another race and we try to prepare as much as we can for every race," Vettel told a news conference, his matter-of-fact expression barely changing after his 30th career victory in F1.
"Surely winning here is very special and tastes very, very sweet, especially the way we won today with a lot of pressure from behind, but I think we did our homework."
It was the nature of the close victory which thrilled Vettel as much as it coming at the Nuerburgring, with Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen chasing him down to the last.
"For sure he is extremely proud about what he has achieved today but he has always taken the bigger picture. We discussed it before the race and said 'let's go for the best we can and if that is second today it's second'," Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told reporters.
"There are just as many points attached to this race as the other 18."
Always extremely knowledgeable technically, Vettel consumes every detail of Formula One while keeping the media at arms length when it comes to his private life.
He is often coy in news conferences, especially this week when asked if he would like Raikkonen to replace the retiring Webber at Red Bull, but gives credit where credit is due.
"We had a little bit of a cushion but Lotus was incredibly quick today and gave us definitely a big run for our money," he said.
Red Bull ensured Vettel pitted to cover the third stop of third-placed Romain Grosjean and all went well in the end.
"For sure, there are a lot of expectations. Especially when you have a good car and for a couple of years you've had a good run, when you come to home soil people expect you to win," said the German.
"I think the whole team, including myself, we never ever let that get to our head but it just feels very, very sweet now to have succeeded after a couple of tries."
Vettel hit the headlines after ignoring orders and overtaking Australian team mate Mark Webber to win in Malaysia in March. That same stone-cold attitude of a champion means he is unlikely to be partying long into the German night.

Radio silence for Raikkonen, Mercedes fall away

 

 Nuerburgring: Kimi Raikkonen had to contend with a faulty radio as he tried to chase down German Grand Prix winner Sebastian Vettel but the Lotus driver was far happier than his Mercedes counterparts after they flopped in the team's home race.
The Finn made a late switch of tyres in a bid to prevent the world champion and current leader from winning his home race for the first time but came up just short on Sunday. Vettel recognised he might have been overtaken had the race gone two laps longer but that was no comfort for Raikkonen, whose team are again overperforming after nine of 19 races with the 2007 world champion third in the standings and 41 points behind the German.
"Unfortunately today there was quite a lot to discuss and it didn't work," he told fans of his struggles to work out when to pit with a half broken radio. "I had massive problems with the radio. I could hear them but they couldn't hear me." Raikkonen is in the running to replace the retiring Austtralian Mark Webber at Vettel's champion Red Bull team next year but the 33-year-old wants renewed glory now in his inconsistent Lotus.

Raikkonen had to contend with a faulty radio as he tried to chase down German Grand Prix winner Sebastian Vettel.

"(The result) is good for the team, not so good for my championship," he said, with team mate Romain Grosjean finishing third. Team boss Eric Boullier said it was "first place lost" and Lotus definitely had the fastest car. Mercedes could only dream of having that on Sunday.
Nico Rosberg's Silverstone victory last weekend and Lewis Hamilton taking pole in Germany on Saturday had revved up the hopes of the Mercedes fanbase but it all fell away under the hot sun. German Rosberg only qualified 11th and made up just two places in the race while Hamilton was overtaken by both Red Bulls on the first corner before sliding down the field and then working his way back up to fifth.
"A very strange, disappointing weekend after the highs from recent weeks. One to forget," commented Rosberg. "A bit of a worry really, the race pace. It brought back memories of months ago when we were really struggling in the race." Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff blamed hotter temperatures.
"It's important that the car has a decent pace, that is good. It's easier than the other way around. But it's very difficult when you see the car dropping back like it did," he told reporters. "We had very good races and now one which was more on the disappointing side so we have to put our head down and work hard."
Before the next race in Hungary at the end of the month, Mercedes will miss the Silverstone test after their ban for conducting a "secret" test with Pirelli at Barcelona in May. Hamilton is glad to see the back of the special rear tyres brought to Germany after last weekend's dangerous blow-outs in Britain. Another new set in Hungary awaits.
"I have to hold myself back, I have nothing positive to say about these tyres. And I don't understand why we struggled so much on them. But that's motor racing," the Briton said as most of the rest of the paddock praised Pirelli's offering. "I just got a bad start and didn't get off the line as quick as them, they seemed to get really good starts. Or maybe mine was just bad. But either way they both kind of sandwiched me and there was no way I could defend."

Team by team analysis of German Grand Prix

 

 Team by team analysis of Sunday's German Formula One Grand Prix (listed in championship order):
RED BULL (Sebastian Vettel 1, Mark Webber 7)
A first win at home and first in July for triple world champion Vettel, who never looked back from overtaking polesitter Lewis Hamilton at the first corner, just holding on after a late charge by Kimi Raikkonen.

Team by team analysis of Sunday's German Formula One Grand Prix.

A day to forget for Webber, who was released from a pitstop without his rear right wheel properly attached. It bounced free and hit a television cameraman, putting him in hospital. The delay put the Australian to the back of the field but he worked his way up to seventh.
MERCEDES (Lewis Hamilton 5, Nico Rosberg 9)
Not a happy home grand prix for the Silver Arrows with Hamilton being jumped by Vettel and Webber at the first corner and high temperatures affecting their tyres and performance more than others.
The Briton restored some pride by battling to fifth place but team mate Rosberg had a terrible home weekend, qualifying 11th after a team misjudgement and then only finishing the race in ninth - a week after his Silverstone success.
FERRARI (Fernando Alonso 4, Felipe Massa retired)
Alonso was happy with Ferrari's bold strategy to concentrate on the race rather than qualifying by starting on medium tyres but the aim was the podium and he just missed out to the much quicker Lotus duo.
Massa was ahead of Alonso before spinning on turn one on the third lap, stalling his engine and bowing out in Germany for the first time in 14 races.
LOTUS (Kimi Raikkonen 2, Romain Grosjean 3)
Another step forward for Lotus after three bad races but team boss Eric Boullier said it was "first place lost" after Raikkonen's late tyre change failed to give him enough extra speed to catch Vettel. A broken radio also did not help.
Grosjean impressed with his second podium of the season but could possibly have pushed harder when the safety car exited and he was second behind Vettel.
FORCE INDIA (Paul Di Resta 11, Adrian Sutil 13)
A disappointing day for the "best of the rest" as they just missed out on the points and were fined 5,000 euros for an unsafe release as Di Resta's car almost slammed into Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso in the pits.
Di Resta hoped for a late run at the points but struggled on the tyres having opted for a risky two-stop.
MCLAREN (Jenson Button 6, Sergio Perez 8)
A step forward from Silverstone for the once perennial title challengers and Button only missed out on a season-equalling best of fifth after getting stuck behind the Caterhams.
Perez is still finding his feet at the British team but managed well on a two-stop strategy.
TORO ROSSO (Daniel Ricciardo 12, Jean-Eric Vergne retired)
Ricciardo had qualified in a heady sixth position but could not live with the bigger names and steadily slipped down while Vergne narrowly avoided being hit by Di Resta in the pits and later had to retire with a hydraulics fault.
SAUBER (Nico Hulkenberg 10, Esteban Gutierrez 14)
Another solitary point for the Swiss-based outfit with another non-descript performance.
WILLIAMS (Pastor Maldonado 15, Valtteri Bottas 16)
Still no sign of a first point of the season for the former champions, who were undermined by losing time at their pitstops.
MARUSSIA (Max Chilton 19, Jules Bianchi retired)
Bianchi's engine caught fire and he quickly leapt out before the car rolled across the track and caused the safety car to be deployed. Briton Chilton was last of the finishers.
CATERHAM (Charles Pic 17, Giedo van der Garde 18)
The backmarkers suffered after Pic's slow puncture on lap 35 forced the Frenchman to pit again while Van der Garde still finished below his team mate with his tyres all but gone by the end of the race.

Mercedes flops again in race, blames tires

 

 Nuerburgring: Mercedes' hopes of winning their home race in Germany were over before the first curve. The culprit, according to Lewis Hamilton, were the tires. Hamilton started on pole position but was sandwiched by the Red Bulls of eventual winner Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber before the first bend. The Briton finished fifth, passing Jenson Button's McLaren in the final lap.
"That was really a tough race out there for us today. I didn't have a great start and the Red Bulls were much quicker off the line, dropping me back to third," Hamilton said. "We really struggled with the second set of tires which then compromised the rest of my race. We've clearly got a good car but for some reason, it doesn't work in these hot conditions. We'll keep working on it and the positive from today is that we were able to recover to fifth place with a good strategy and great pit stops, and we're still second in the constructors' table.
"Hopefully we'll have a better chance at the next race but, for now, there's a lot of hard work ahead of us." The 2008 Formula One champion is still without a win after leaving McLaren for Mercedes this season. He is 58 points behind leader Vettel. Mercedes have won six of the past seven poles but usually has been unable to repeat its speed in races.

Mercedes' hopes of winning their home race in Germany were over before the first curve. The culprit, according to Hamilton, were the tires.

Nico Rosberg, who won two of the past three races, was the victim of a bad miscalculation by the team in Saturday's qualifying. Thinking Rosberg's lap was good enough to qualify for the final and third session, the team kept him in the pit lane - only for him miss the final 10 by one place.
Rosberg was not a factor in Sunday's race and finished ninth.
"The car didn't feel so nice to drive today. We struggled a lot with the rear tires, and that's why we weren't able to match the pace of the guys in the front," Rosberg said. "We need to understand the new tires a bit more because it seems that the new construction has shuffled things around, especially in these hot conditions. We have to do a lot of work in the next weeks to make sure we arrive in Hungary in good shape."
The next race in Hungary is in three weeks.
Hamilton said it "doesn't help" that Mercedes will miss the upcoming young drivers' test at Silverstone after being banned for using its current car to conduct tire testing for Pirelli after the Spanish GP in May.
Pirelli supplied tires with Kevlar rather than steel belts for Sunday's race after a series of blowouts at the British Grand Prix. A new compound will be used in Hungary and for the rest of the season.
Team principal Ross Brawn said the car underperformed in hot conditions.
"We have not yet done enough to convert our Saturday pace into race-winning speed in all conditions," Brawn said. "The three-week break until Hungary will give us an opportunity to think about how we can make further progress on our tire management as well as continuing to develop the core performance of the car."

Sebastian Vettel cracks Germany but further challenges await

 

 Nuerburgring: Sebastian Vettel finally got the monkey off his back and triumphed at his home German Grand Prix but more challenges await this month with a tyre test and a race in Hungary he has never won.
Red Bull's triple world champion increased his lead in the current standings to 34 points on Sunday after holding off a late charge from Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen to the delight of thousands of German fans at the famous Nuerburgring track.
The victory was his first in July and he will now head to Budapest at the end of the month with renewed confidence, even if the tyres set to be used at the Hungaroring will differ from Germany.

After conquering his home turf, Sebastian Vettel now has one more challenge of Hungary GP, which he has never won.

A series of dangerous tyre blow-outs at the British Grand Prix two Sundays ago forced supplier Pirelli to rush out a safer set of rear tyres for the Nuerburgring which had an inner belt of Kevlar, a synthetic fibre, rather than steel.
A more long-term approach will be taken from Hungary with tyres more similar to 2012 set to be introduced after a special testing session for F1 drivers at the young drivers' test at Silverstone July 17-19. Uncertainty still reigns though.
"There's a test at Silverstone where race drivers are allowed to test and so we have a tyre test you can say, for at least a day and get a little bit more of an idea, and then I think Pirelli will make up their mind and decide to get together with the FIA," Vettel told reporters.
"Whether the teams like it or not, it doesn't matter. So I think at this point we don't know which tyres we are probably running in Hungary. The most important thing is that we learn the lesson from previous races, especially Silverstone."
Red Bull will be sad to see the rears from Germany go after being impressed with how they degraded and performed safety-wise, although they had one calamity at a Mark Webber pit stop when a rear tyre came free and hit a television cameraman, who broke his collarbone and two ribs.
"There are further changes for Budapest and teams get a chance to try it out at Silverstone. I don't think the tyres need to be so high in degradation to produce good races," team principal Christian Horner said after a thrilling end to the race in Germany.
Romain Grosjean was third in an excellent effort by Lotus and the Frenchman also feels much happier with Pirelli's new tyre outlook after complaints from teams all year about high degradation.
"I am looking forward to using the full new tyres from Budapest onwards that I understood a little bit better last year than this year," he said.
The only team puzzled by this weekend's tyres were home hopes Mercedes, who endured a difficult race with Lewis Hamilton slipping from pole to fifth and Nico Rosberg coming a lowly ninth as they struggled with high temperatures affecting the rubber.
Ferrari took a bold strategy by deciding not to push for pole in qualifying on Saturday to conserve tyres for the race but Fernando Alonso, second in the overall standings, only managed to climb to fourth.
The Italian team's performance in Hungary could be key to the rest of the season with 10 races remaining this year.
The three-week gap until Budapest is likely to see developments on Pirelli's bid for a contract-extension for 2014 with big engine rules changes coming in next year and limited testing opportunities.
Champions Red Bull are also losing Webber to endurance racing at the end of the year and a rumoured announcement of Raikkonen as his replacement can not be discounted this month.

Tyre talk dominating the lead up to German Grand Prix

 

 Safety concerns over tyres threaten to overshadow what is becoming an intriguing battle for the Formula One championship between three-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and several other drivers.
The sport was plunged into a crisis when four drivers, including race leader Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Felipe Massa, nearly crashed in Sunday's British Grand Prix after their tyres burst. The sight of large chunks of debris showering down on cars and, in one case, a huge strip of rubber flying across the track prompted several current and former drivers to suggest the sport was sacrificing safety in a bid for more excitement.
"Without that tyre problem, I could have made it to the podium because today I had a good feeling with the car," said Massa, who had similar problems in Bahrain and also nearly was killed in 2010 when he was hit by debris at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The sport was plunged into a crisis when four drivers nearly crashed in Sunday's British Grand Prix after their tyres burst.

The Brazilian also talked of a driver boycott - something dismissed by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone - if the problem wasn't solved by this weekend's German Grand Prix.
"Now, our greatest concern revolves around safety. Even if I can't really tell what happened, it's unacceptable having to drive knowing you are not safe," Massa said. "Even if, luckily, nothing serious happened, what we saw is very dangerous."
On Monday, International Automobile Federation President Jean Todt said the young drivers' test scheduled for July 17-19 at Silverstone would be opened to all F1 drivers, although Mercedes would be excluded after holding unsanctioned tyre tests in May. In-season testing was banned in 2009 amid cost concerns.
"Our priority is to ensure safety for all in Formula One and we believe the incidents at Silverstone represent a genuine safety concern for the drivers," Todt said. "We have thus taken the decision to alter the young driver test to allow teams to use drivers they deem fit to carry out tyre development work in a bid to solve the problems we saw at the British Grand Prix. I believe it is fitting to carry out this work at the circuit upon which the issues were manifested."
Todt also said he would seek approval to amend FIA regulations to allow changes in tyre specifications without the approval of all teams. Pirelli on Tuesday said the tyres were safe if used in the correct way, blaming the blowouts on rear tires being mounted the wrong way by teams, low tyre pressures and "aggressive" curbs on high corners at Silverstone. Still, it agreed to make tire changes for the German GP, including using a Kevlar belt - a fiber that is more resistant to punctures - instead of steel on its rear tyres. The series will revert to 2012 tyres from the Hungarian Grand Prix onward.
Alonso and Hamilton cautiously endorsed the changes Wednesday.
"I am satisfied, but only when we get there (Germany) will we have a better idea how it is for us," Hamilton said. "It's still a concern. We'll see how the weekend goes but I'm sure they've taken the right steps to make it safe."
The tyre trouble at Silverstone is the latest controversy to hit Pirelli, which has come under fire over concerns its tyres are wearing down too quickly and leading to races being decided by pit stops rather than action on the track.
It also took some of the limelight away from a thrilling race that saw pole sitter Hamilton give up the lead after his tyre problems and then Vettel drop out with 10 laps remaining due to mechanical problems. Hamilton's team-mate, Nico Rosberg, held off Mark Webber of Red Bull for his second win of the season.
Vettel remains the leader in the drivers' championship with 132 points. His lead, though, is down to 21 points over Alonso with 11 races remaining. Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen is third with 98 and Hamilton is fourth with 89.
Red Bull's Vettel remains the favourite to win another title but his retirement at Silverstone opened the door for his rivals - most likely two-time champion Alonso who understands time is running out if Ferrari wants to overtake Vettel and win its first drivers' title in four years.
"Mixed feelings to be honest," Alonso said after finishing third at Silverstone. "Happy for the points, we've reduced the gap a little bit in this race but the pace we saw this weekend is not good enough."
The Mercedes drivers, Hamilton and Rosberg, also seem to be emerging as a threat, after the team finally showed it had the pace on race day that it has demonstrated in qualifying. Hamilton, despite his early tyre troubles, worked his way up from dead last to finish fourth. The team now is second in the constructors' championship behind Red Bull.
Raikkonen, who won the season-opening Australian GP, appears to be fading. He finished 10th in Monaco and 9th in Canada and missed out on a podium finish at Silverstone, overtaken in the final laps by Alonso and Hamilton after deciding not to switch tires late in the race. The 2007 champion finished fifth and said he was now hoping for a better showing in Germany, a race he has never won in 16 attempts.
"It was a disappointing end to the weekend for sure. Things were going pretty well in the race, but it was a mistake not to switch to new tyres when the safety car came out," Raikkonen said. "A podium would be a positive result (in Germany) and a step in the right direction."

Paul di Resta keen on switch to Ferrari

 

 Paul di Resta is keen on moving to Ferrari next season and his performance so far this year has been encouraging for the Italian team to take a note.
Di Resta has secured points in seven of the eight grand prix and more importantly from tough positions. Surely he must be disappointed when overlooked by Red Bull after Mark Webber made the decision of quitting Formula One at the end of season.
But Felipe Massa's poor run this season could encourage Di Resta of signing up with Ferrari at least to be in the contention.

Paul di Resta has secured points in seven of the eight grand prix and more importantly from tough positions.

"You would jump at it, definitely," said Di Resta. "Obviously it's every boy's dream as they grow up to get in a Ferrari at some point in their life, and being Italian is a nice thing, having the Italian blood.
"But I will concentrate on my job and let other people do their job. Where I am next year I don't know, but there are many points up for grabs. That is the important bit - keeping your reputation high."
Di Resta had to compromise his positions in the last few races but bounced back well to finish good in the grid. In Monaco and Canada, during qualifying due to his team's mistakes he had to start at 17th but managed to finish strong at ninth and seventh respectively.
In the last race, which was the British Grand Prix - Di Resta was relegated to start from the back because his car weighed 1.5kgs less during qualifying. But still then he managed to finish ninth.

Fernando Alonso trusts German Grand Prix will be safe

 

 Nuerburgring, Germany: Ferrari's Fernando Alonso put his faith in Formula One's governing body and Pirelli ensuring safety at the German Grand Prix on Thursday after multiple tyre blowouts at last weekend's British race. The Spaniard, second in the standings behind Red Bull's triple champion Sebastian Vettel, was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off a car in front of him at Silverstone.
After the intervention of the governing FIA amid talk of a driver boycott, Pirelli have brought different rear tyres to the Nuerburgring - Vettel's home race - with an inner belt made of the synthetic fibre Kevlar a rather than steel. "After what we saw in Silverstone, we now go to the Nuerburgring, confident we can see an improvement," the Ferrari website (www.ferrari.com) quoted Alonso as saying.
"I know that various modifications have been applied and let's hope that means all of us drivers can race in safe conditions. "At the moment, we can't make any predictions, because no one has tried them and we don't know what and how many benefits they can bring, apart from trusting in the fact that it won't be dangerous to race," added the double champion.

The Spaniard was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off a car in front of him at Silverstone.

Alonso won last year's German Grand Prix, which was held at Hockenheim under an alternation agreement, from pole position. That was the last time the double world champion, a winner in China and Spain this season, has appeared on the front row of the grid.

Force India have no tyre issues: Adrian Sutil

 

 New Delhi: Pirelli faced serious criticism after the tyre blowouts at British Grand Prix last Sunday but one Formula 1 team which is not complaining is Sahara Force India. Tyres have been a regular subject of debate this season and their scrutiny has intensified with four drivers -- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and Sergio Perez (McLaren) -- bearing the brunt of rear tyre explosions at the Silverstone Circuit.
The incidents fuelled talks of a potential boycott by the drivers going into the German Grand Prix this weekend. Force India, however, is not losing sleep over how the tyres would perform at Nurburgring, according to their driver Adrian Sutil.
"A lot of teams expressed their concerns post the race at Silverstone and I am sure Pirelli will do something to fix the issue. Having said that, we did not experience any problem and hope for the same in the coming race," Sutil told IANS from Nurburgring Thursday. The German finished seventh in the race after starting from sixth on the grid while teammate Paul di Resta staged a remarkable recovery to come home ninth from the back of the grid.

Pirelli faced serious criticism after the tyre blowouts at British Grand Prix last Sunday but one Formula 1 team which is not complaining is Sahara Force India.

"It was a decent result for us. The last safety car came when I was running third and that did not help. But overall we did well on a two-stop strategy," said the 30-year-old. Sutil said it was not right to blame tyre manufacturer Pirelli without knowing the cause of the blowouts. Pirelli had earlier said that wrong usage of tyres and insufficient pressure contributed to the incidents.
The Italian company is introducing a new range of tyres this weekend, having a kevlar belt in place of the steel belt used earlier. Asked about his chances in Germany, Sutil said: "It is a home race for me and I want to finish in top six which is my goal anyway. The last time I was here (in 2011), I came sixth. So hope I can do better this time." Force India are fifth in the constructors' standings with 59 points, ahead of McLaren, who are on 37.

Sauber are in difficult situation, say Nico Hulkenberg

 

 Nuerburgring: The Sauber Formula One team - one of the smallest in the paddock and without a main title sponsor - are working on a solution to their financial problems, driver Nico Hulkenberg said on Thursday. Problems at Sauber were highlighted last week when McLaren announced that the Swiss outfit's chief designer Matt Morris would be leaving to join the more high-profile British team as engineering director.
"I think it's a difficult situation," the German driver told a news conference ahead of his home grand prix. "She (team principal Monisha Kaltenborn) and the team management are trying to work on a solution. She's assured me she's working on that and there's not much more I can say," he added, refusing to deny allegations he has not been fully paid.
Sauber have had to soldier on as an independent team after BMW pulled out as partners and from F1 completely at the end of 2009. Owner Peter Sauber has gradually stepped back from the day-to-day running of the team, leaving Kaltenborn in charge as the only female principal in the sport.

Sauber have had to soldier on as an independent team after BMW pulled out as partners and from F1 completely at the end of 2009.

They have never won a grand prix as an independent team having joined F1 in 1993, with BMW-Sauber only taking the chequered flag once in 2008 in Canada with Robert Kubica. Financial problems during the global economic crisis have dominated F1 in recent years with the HRT team disappearing before this season.

Fernando Alonso wary of Pirelli Silverstone test

 

 Nuerburgring: Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is reluctant to take part in a test at Silverstone this month because he fears a repeat of the scenes at the British Grand Prix on Sunday when exploding tyres put drivers' lives at risk. The Spaniard, second in the standings behind Red Bull's triple world champion Sebastian Vettel, was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off Sergio Perez's McLaren in front of him.
Formula One's governing body responded to the five blowouts by deciding on Monday to change the rules and allow race drivers to test revised Pirelli tyres with their current cars at the same track later this month, instead of just young drivers. "I don't intend to go," Alonso told reporters in the Ferrari motorhome ahead of Sunday's German Grand Prix.
"It's not a very safe thing racing on the same track with the same tyres. I don't have the feeling I want to go. But if the team wants me to go..." After the intervention of the governing FIA amid talk of a driver boycott, Pirelli have brought different rear tyres to the Nuerburgring - Vettel's home race - with an inner belt made of the synthetic fibre Kevlar rather than steel.

The Spaniard was almost hit on the head by a strip of tread flying off Sergio Perez's McLaren in front of him.

Double champion Alonso has put his faith in Pirelli to at least make this race safer, even if cooler rear tyres could benefit Mercedes and Red Bull based on this season's analysis. "Pirelli made some changes so we trust them," he said. "This is the third or fourth change they make in the season already, some were hurting us, some were helping us. I think performance today is the second priority.
"The most important thing is to make it for dinner at home on Sunday. "I was lucky...It could have hit my helmet (last Sunday when finishing third). It would have been like a bullet." "MIX THINGS UP" Other drivers hoped the Italian firm had cracked the problem. Photographers milled around the Pirelli lorries in the Nuerburgring paddock on Thursday with technicians hard at work on the tyres, with practice taking place on Friday.
"Like we said last weekend, it has to be safe," Vettel said. "It was not what we want, not satisfactory. It's good we have a new tyre here." Red Bull team mate Mark Webber, who is swapping the perils of F1 for the equally dangerous pursuit of Le Mans endurance driving at the end of the season, rejected suggestions that kerbs at Silverstone had ruptured the tyres.
"It caught us all by surprise on Sunday for sure," he said. "All of a sudden in the race there were landmines everywhere which no one really predicted. "In the end everyone left there in one piece...apart from the tyres. Pirelli will learn from it, they have to. There's no issues with the kerbs because the track was fine the last five years. I'm a bit more confident they've got more data."
Pirelli, which has put some of the blame for the Silverstone blowouts on the teams for the way they have managed tyres, conducted a "secret" test with Mercedes in Barcelona in May for which the German team were punished by the FIA. Mercedes have been ruled out of the Silverstone tyre trial this month and Nico Rosberg, the British Grand Prix winner, shrugged off talk that the Spanish test had given them inside knowledge going forward.
He also gave little hope to fans who feel tyres have been too decisive when it comes to results this season. "There's no advantage. We don't know if we ran this tyre in Barcelona, you'll have to ask Pirelli," Rosberg said. "For sure (the tyres changes) will very likely have an impact. It's going to mix things up a little bit."

Nico Rosberg hopes to keep Mercedes momentum

 

 Nuerburgring: Nico Rosberg finally has a car capable of winning Formula One races and the German driver is taking full advantage of it - if only to annoy the championship leader. Rosberg played second fiddle to Michael Schumacher for three frustrating seasons as Mercedes struggled. When the seven-time champion retired for the second time, Mercedes signed on Lewis Hamilton, another former champ.
While Hamilton has been collecting points consistently, Rosberg has been the faster driver almost halfway into the season. Rosberg has won two of the last three races and had three poles, while Hamilton is still winless and had two poles. But Hamilton is ahead on points, 89 to 82, which leaves Rosberg 50 points behind the series' leader, three-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull.
"In the short term I just want to annoy Sebastian and Red Bull, race by race, by being ahead of them," Rosberg said on Thursday at the German Grand Prix. "That is the most important thing, to be ahead not just of them but other teams. "It is a really nice time in my career, it is new - I have never had a car as quick as it is now - and we can go out there and qualify and fight for the position right at the front.

Nico Rosberg finally has a car capable of winning Formula One races and the German driver is taking full advantage of it.

"The car is getting better and better (in races), so on Sundays I can keep my qualifying position. That is a nice feeling, (and) very motivating." Mercedes has held five of the last six poles, but has struggled to sustain the challenge in a race. "Trying to win more races is what I am focused on at the moment, and what the team is focused on."
Rosberg believes new tires supplied by Pirelli could have an impact on qualifying and Sunday's race. "It will be interesting," Rosberg said. "Possibly it will mix things up, but it is also an opportunity for us to understand it better than other teams and make the most of it. We have to try and run them as much as possible in relevant circumstance to try and learn as much as we can.
"It is likely to shuffle things around a bit." Pirelli, under heavy fire after five drivers punctured at last Sunday's British GP, including race leader Hamilton, decided to use Kevlar belt tires this weekend, rather than ones with steel belts used in England. Hamilton said Mercedes was improving, noting it was second in the constructors' championship.
"I'm 43 points off Sebastian, we've a good car," Hamilton said. "The improvements we have made with regard to tire degradation have helped, and moving forward I really hope we can be more competitive. As for the title, I'm just trying to stay within shooting distance, to stay in the fight. That's all I'm focusing on at the moment. "Nico has proven we can win with the car, so I'm sure a win will come."

German rivalry simmers between Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg

 

 Nuerburgring: Nico Rosberg's strong recent form and some fighting talk towards his fellow German Sebastian Vettel has increased their rivalry ahead of their home grand prix this weekend.While Red Bull's triple champion Vettel has dominated Formula One in the last three years, Mercedes have laboured in their comeback as a works team, hurting their image of German perfection and sending Michael Schumacher back into retirement.
Rosberg has won two of the last three races for the improving Silver Arrows, however, winning in Monaco and then taking advantage of Vettel's gearbox problem at Silverstone on Sunday to seize victory in the British Grand Prix. The 28-year-old, son of Finnish 1982 F1 champion Keke Rosberg but born in Germany, is not daring to look at the championship standings yet and has his eyes fixed on Vettel.
"Short term, I just want to annoy Sebastian and Red Bull a little bit race by race, by being ahead of them and that's the most important thing really," Rosberg told a news conference with Vettel sat just by him. Sixth-placed Rosberg is 50 points behind leader Vettel in the standings after eight of 19 races while Mercedes have moved up to second in the constructors', 48 points adrift of Red Bull.

While Red Bull's triple champion Vettel has dominated Formula One in the last three years, Mercedes have laboured i

"It's too early to say (we are title contenders)," he said. "We're really focusing on getting our momentum, keeping it going as we have at the moment and just concentrating one race to the next. "It's a really nice time in my career at the moment. It's new. I've never had a car as quick as it is now." Vettel refused to take Rosberg's bait and wanted to talk about his own situation after disappointment at Silverstone, despite avoiding the tyre curse which affected other drivers.
"It was quite frustrating to lose the lead due to a technical problem, but as I said after the race these things happen," he said having turned 26 on Wednesday. "So I think we've understood the problem, fixed the problem, so we move on." Vettel and Rosberg have never won their home grand prix and the champion tried to play down its importance despite looking forward to a plethora of fluttering German flags in the stands.
"In terms of the championship points you can score here, it's the same as every other place but obviously it's something special to race in front of your home crowd and I feel quite happy to have the possibility to be honest," Vettel said. The German race alternates each year between Hockenheim and the Nuerburgring, which has been in financial trouble, prompting F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone to step in and make sure the grand prix took place this year in the famous forested venue.

Pirelli says teams contributed to blowouts

 

 Formula One teams contributed to the dramatic blowouts at Sunday's British Grand Prix by mounting rear tyres the wrong way around and running them with low pressures, supplier Pirelli said on Tuesday. Rejecting any suggestion that its product was dangerous, the Italian company said in a statement it would bring stronger rear tyres to this weekend's race in Germany to allay any safety fears and introduce a new range in Hungary at the end of the month.
Pirelli said some teams had deliberately put tyres intended for the right rear of the car on the left, had run them at lower pressures than recommended by the manufacturer and used extreme cambers for performance advantage. However, it shouldered some of the blame for these practices. "Mounting the tyres the wrong way round is a practice that was nonetheless underestimated by everybody: above all Pirelli, which did not forbid this," said the statement.
Pirelli found the kerbs at fast corners, and specifically turn four of the Silverstone circuit, were also "particularly aggressive". Four drivers suffered high-speed rear tyre blowouts at Silverstone - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and Sergio Perez (McLaren). The debris from the exploding tyres was flung up into the path of cars behind, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso having one near-miss. Fears about the drivers' safety plunged the sport into crisis with talk of a possible driver boycott.

Rejecting any suggestion that its product was dangerous, the Italian company said in a statement it would bring stronger rear tyres to this weekend's race.

Pirelli said the rears to be used at the Nuerburgring on Sunday would feature inner belts made of Kevlar, a reinforced fibre that was a feature of last year's tyres, beneath the tread instead of the steel used so far this season. Its 2013 tyres have an 'asymmetric' structure which means that they are not designed to be interchangeable but some teams struggling with high degradation have improved performance by swapping them around.
"The sidewalls are designed in such a way to deal with specific loads on the internal and external sides of the tyre. So swapping the tyres round has an effect on how they work in certain conditions," said Pirelli. "In particular, the external part is designed to cope with the very high loads that are generated while cornering at a circuit as demanding as Silverstone, with its rapid left-hand bends and some kerbs that are particularly aggressive."
MORE STRESS
Under-inflating the tyres can also bring a competitive advantage but puts more stress on them. Pirelli said that, because of the potential danger, it had asked the governing FIA for a technical official to make sure cambers and pressures complied with set parameters in future. It will also be forbidden to swap the new rears for Germany around, since they too are asymmetric. The front tyres remain unaltered.
The tyres to be used at the Nuerburgring had been made originally for teams to try out in Canada last month. But they were not used due to bad weather and opposition from Ferrari, Force India and Lotus whose cars were easier on the tyres and who feared giving up an advantage. Those tyres to be introduced in Hungary at the end of July will have a symmetrical structure with the 2013 compounds.
"I'd like to re-emphasise the fact that the 2013 range of tyres, used in the correct way, is completely safe," said Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery. "What happened at Silverstone though has led us to ask for full access to real-time tyre data to ensure the correct usage and development of tyres that have the sophistication we were asked to provide and extremely high performance that has lowered lap times by more than two seconds on average.
"While we wait for a change in the rules, we will introduce tyres that are easier to manage." Formula One teams will test the tyres for Hungary at Silverstone from July 17-19. Silverstone's owners had said reports that sharp edges on the circuit's kerbs might have been to blame for the blowouts were "absolute rubbish".
Pirelli said the Silverstone failures were unrelated to previous problems of 'delamination' - when the tread is penetrated by debris and separates from the belt underneath, peeling away from the main body, or carcass, of the tyre. "What happened at Silverstone was completely unexpected and it was the first time that anything like this has ever occurred in more than a century of Pirelli in motorsport," said Hembery. "These incidents, which have upset us greatly, have stressed the urgency of the changes that we already suggested."

Ross Brawn confident of Mercedes winning World Championship

 

 Mercedes principal Ross Brawn has backed his team Mercedes to go all the way and win the World Championship this year.
Brawn said he doesn't see a reason why his team can't win this year's championship after Nico Rosberg's win in the German Grand Prix, reports f1.co.uk.
On being asked whether Mercedes could win the championship, Brawn said "I don't see why" in a interview with adamcooperf1.com. "Red Bull last year had a great middle of the season. We've got two drivers on top form, the team is really gelling now, and why not? We're certainly going to try", he said.

Mercedes principal Ross Brawn has backed his team to go all the way and win the World Championship this year.

Brawn also heaped praise on his top drivers - Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. "We were keeping in touch, Nico managed to keep in touch the whole time. Lewis had got the gap we'd asked him to get, and he was holding that. It would have been close. I think we were competitive."
Red Bull currently lead the Formula One charts with 219 points with Mercedes behind with a deficit of 48 points.

FIA allows in-season testing over tyre trouble

 

 London: Facing a revolt from teams over exploding tyres at the British Grand Prix, Formula One's governing body allowed in-season testing on Monday to allay safety fears.
Jean Todt, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) president, said in a statement the Young Drivers Test scheduled for July 17-19 at Silverstone would be open to all F1 drivers, although Mercedes would be excluded after it was reprimanded for holding unsanctioned tyre tests in May.
Todt said the unprecedented move - in-season testing was banned in 2009 over cost concerns - follows Sunday's race where tyres exploded on four cars including Lewis Hamilton's and Felipe Massa's.

Facing a revolt from teams over exploding tyres at the British Grand Prix, Formula One's governing body allowed in-season testing to allay safety fears.

"Our priority is to ensure safety for all in Formula One and we believe the incidents at Silverstone represent a genuine safety concern for the drivers," Todt said.
"We have thus taken the decision to alter the Young Drivers Test to allow teams to use drivers they deem fit to carry out tyre development work in a bid to solve the problems we saw at the British Grand Prix. I believe it is fitting to carry out this work at the circuit upon which the issues were manifested."
Todt also said he would seek approval to amend FIA regulations to allow changes in tyre specifications without the approval of all teams - addressing a concern that some teams in the past have stymied efforts to make changes during the season.
He also called for F1's sole provider of tyres, Pirelli, to offer "assurance that there will be no repetition of the tyre problems at this weekend's German Grand Prix or at subsequent Grand Prix".
The move to allow testing comes a day after drivers nearly crashed after their tyres blew while racing at speeds upward of 180 mph.
The sight of large chunks of debris showering cars and, in one case, a huge strip of rubber flying across the track, almost led to the race being called off and prompted concerns F1 was sacrificing safety for excitement.
"Our greatest concern revolves around safety," Massa, who was nearly killed when hit by a piece of debris at the Hungary GP in 2010, said on Sunday.
"It's unacceptable having to drive knowing you are not safe. Even if, luckily, nothing serious happened, what we saw is very dangerous."
Pirelli was investigating the problems, but ruled out a new bonding process for the tyres that was introduced ahead of the British GP.
The company has been called to a meeting on Wednesday in Germany of team sporting directors and the FIA. It said it had no information on the testing.
"There have been obviously some issues with rear-left failures which we have not seen before," Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said.
"We are taking the situation very seriously and we are currently investigating all tyres to determine the cause as soon as possible ahead of the next grand prix in Germany."
The tyre trouble at Silverstone is the latest controversy to hit F1's sole tyre provider, which has come under fire over concerns its tyres are wearing down too quickly and leading to races being decided by pit stops rather than action on the track.
Pirelli were reprimanded along with Mercedes for holding unsanctioned testing in May in a bid to improve the safety of their tyres.
With the German GP this weekend, several teams on Sunday called for Pirelli to quickly sort out the problem.
"We had five tyre failures here. Lots of people have a lot of theories about what that is, whether it is fatigue failure or puncture caused by debris," said McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh, who heads the F1 teams' association.
"We have been lucky that no one has been hurt."
Whitmarsh suggested going back to the 2012 tyres, while three-time F1 champion Jackie Stewart said the FIA should lift the ban on in-season testing immediately so that all teams can test their tyres this week.
He went even further, suggesting the time may have come for eliminating pit stops altogether and introducing a tyre that can last an entire race - rather than the current situation that requires two or even three stops.
"We don't need to have pit stops to make motor racing exciting," Stewart said. "We can have tyres that will do the full distance in order to get the safety element in place. If we have to make stiffer tyres, a heavy tyre, a bigger tyre, let's do that and have no pit stops if that is what it takes to get over this hurdle.
"If we went into another Grand Prix or two and saw this happening again and something really nasty were to happen, we would never forgive ourselves for not doing something."

Pirelli announces tyre changes ahead of German Grand Prix

 

 Milan: Formula One cars will race on different tyres for the rest of the season in the wake of a string of blowouts during Sunday's British Grand Prix that sparked the threat of a revolt from teams.
Tyres exploded on four cars at Silverstone, including those of Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa, forcing tyre manufacturer Pirelli to launch an investigation.
Pirelli said the problems were caused by a number of factors, including the rear tyres being mounted the wrong way by teams and low tyre pressures. The Italian manufacturer also said that kerbs were high on the Silverstone circuit, while stressing that "the 2013 range of tyres, used in the correct way, is completely safe".

Formula One cars will race on different tyres for the rest of the season in the wake of a string of blowouts during Sunday's British Grand Prix that sparked the threat of a revolt from teams.

For Sunday's German Grand Prix, Pirelli will use a Kevlar belt - a fiber that is more resistant to punctures - instead of steel on their rear tyres.
From this month's Hungarian Grand Prix onward, Pirelli will revert to the tyres that they used in 2012 combined with the current compounds from this season.
"What happened at Silverstone was completely unexpected and it was the first time that anything like this has ever occurred in more than a century of Pirelli in motorsport," Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said in a statement.
The FIA - Formula One's governing body - said Monday it will allow in-season testing on July 17-19 at Silverstone to allay safety fears.
Hembery said Sunday's incidents had "upset us greatly".
"What happened at Silverstone though has led us to ask for full access to real time tyre data to ensure the correct usage and development of tyres that have the sophistication we were asked to provide and extremely high performance that has lowered lap times by more than two seconds on average," Hembery said.
"While we wait for a change in the rules, we will introduce tyres that are easier to manage."

Mercedes drivers back Pirelli to get it right

 

 London: Nico Rosberg expressed confidence in Pirelli addressing tyre safety concerns on Wednesday and said Mercedes would be favourites to win in Germany this weekend.
"I'm confident that the right decisions will be taken," Rosberg told reporters in a conference call from Stuttgart when asked about Formula One safety fears, with talk of a possible driver boycott, raised by the spate of high-speed rear tyre blowouts at Silverstone last weekend. I think they will have everything under control by Nuerburgring which will be good," the British Grand Prix winner added. "I'm very excited to drive again because our car is so good at the moment."
Pirelli announced on Tuesday that they would bring stronger rear tyres, with a different construction, to Germany before introducing a new range for Hungary later in the month.

Rosberg expressed confidence in Pirelli addressing tyre safety concerns and said Mercedes would be favourites to win in Germany this weekend.

Team mate Lewis Hamilton, whose hopes of winning his home race disappeared with a blowout on lap eight after he had led from pole, was more cautious than Rosberg after being outspoken about the situation on Sunday.
"I think it's still a concern and it's still something that we need to see how it goes really," he said. "We'll see how the weekend goes and I'm sure that they are taking the right steps to make it safer. I'm satisfied, but when we get there we'll have a better idea of how it is for us and everyone's in the same boat," added the 2008 world champion. "I'm glad that action has been taken."
LEARNING PROCESS
Hamilton had said on Sunday that the situation was unacceptable - "the first time in my career I've ever felt it was dangerous" - and doubted at the time whether anything would be done until someone got hurt.
Rosberg has won two of the last three races and Mercedes, now second in the championship behind Red Bull, have been on pole five times in eight races.
"It's going to be a bit of a learning process but I'm confident that with the car we have it doesn't matter," he said of the tyres. "I think in general we have a very quick car so I'm confident that we can stay where we are more or less.
"Slowly but surely we are dropping into the role of being favourites which is fantastic as such," added the German, son of 1982 world champion Keke.
Hamilton, who has started on pole twice but has yet to win for Mercedes since his switch from McLaren at the end of last year, did not see it that way.
"I don't think we are favourites. I think Red Bull are still the favourites. They are leading the championship but we are improving and getting closer to them," he said.
"Nico has proved that we can win with the car so I'm sure at some stage a win will come," he added when asked about his own chances.
Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff was also wary.
"On some occasions we have shown that the car has improved a lot... there will be other tracks linked to ambient temperatures and track temperatures where we are going to struggle a bit more. This is in the DNA of the car," he said.

Sebastian Vettel still searching for elusive home win

 

 Nuerburgring: Sebastian Vettel has never won his home German Grand Prix or a race in July, so this week's trip to the Nuerburgring was set to be challenging for the world champion even before last weekend's tyre debacle.
The exploding Pirellis from the British Grand Prix have Formula One drivers on edge but talk of a boycott in Germany has been played down with the Italian firm saying rear tyres will be made stronger in the short turnaround from Silverstone.
While five drivers including pole sitter Lewis Hamilton suffered blowouts last Sunday, championship leader Vettel's retirement was due to a gearbox problem in the usually reliable Red Bull.

Vettel has never won his home German GP, so this week's trip to the Nuerburgring was set to be challenging for the world champion.

Adding to the pressure at the Nuerburgring for the 26-year-old, celebrating his birthday on Wednesday, is Mercedes' strong performance at Silverstone with Nico Rosberg taking victory and eager to impress again on his and his team's home race.
Despite the odds seemingly being against him, Vettel is excited to be returning home.
"I've always had a lot of fun on this track. In 2009, I made it to the podium for the first time (at the Nuerburgring) in Formula 1 and it was a fantastic experience thanks to the German fans," he said in a statement as he discussed never winning in Germany.
"I don't pay much attention to figures and statistics. It may be nice to look at statistics sometimes, but they only show what has happened in the past, not what is still to come."
Vettel, champion the last three years, leads in the driver standings on 132 points from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso on 111 and Kimi Raikkonen on 98 in the Lotus.
Mercedes have moved up to second in the constructors' championship, 48 points behind Red Bull after eight of 19 races.
The last race at the Nuerburgring, which alternates with Hockenheim, was in 2011 when Hamilton took the chequered flag and Vettel came fourth.
TOO DANGEROUS
The German can at least take solace from the fact Red Bull team mate Mark Webber sealed pole at the track two years ago. Australian Webber will be racing in his final German Grand Prix before quitting F1 at the end of the season and he nearly never had the chance to race the Nuerburgring again with the track in serious financial difficulty.
The race was almost handed to Hockenheim before F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone stepped in to make sure the it would take place.
Drivers thought last Sunday's British Grand Prix was too dangerous with bits of exploding tyres narrowly missing their heads, reminding everyone of when Felipe Massa suffered life-threatening injuries when he was struck by debris in 2009.
In 2005, 14 drivers did not start the U.S. Grand Prix after problems with their Michelin tyres.
Ecclestone does not expect the same to happen in Germany, with kerbs at Silverstone and the teams' management of the tyres possibly contributing to the blowouts even if the Pirellis have been controversial all season due to quick degradation.
Pirelli risked angering drivers further by saying on Tuesday that the teams had mounted rear tyres the wrong way around and run them with low pressures.
"I don't think (a boycott) will happen. I don't think it's something we need to address," Ecclestone said.
The 82-year-old said he would be at the Nuerburgring despite the possible threat of arrest because of allegations he bribed a German banker during the 2005-2006 sale of a stake in Formula One.
Ecclestone denies wrongdoing and Munich prosecutors have not yet indicated if they intended to charge him.

Lewis Hamilton on pole for British GP

Silverstone: Lewis Hamiltonresisted pressure from his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg and the speed of both Red Bulls to claim pole position on Saturday for Sunday`s British Grand Prix.

The 28-year-old Englishman gave his home fans good reason to cheer -- as they gave him a standing ovation -- with a fastest lap of one minute and 29.607 seconds, four-tenths of a second quicker than his German partner who wound up second on the grid as Mercedes locked out the front row
It was Hamilton`s second pole this year, after three successive secondplace starts, and the 28th of his career. It was also the first pole by a British driver at Silverstone since Hamilton last succeeded in 2007.

Defending triple world champion German Sebastian Vettel was third quickest for Red Bull ahead of his retirement-bound team-mate Australian Mark Webber.

Scot Paul Di Resta was fifth fastest in his Force India car, to give the British fans two drivers in the top five, ahead of Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Toro Rosso, pressing home his credentials for consideration as Webber`s successor at Red Bull.

German Adrian Sutil was seventh in the second Force India ahead of Frenchman Romain Grosjean and his Lotus team-mate Finn Kimi Raikkonen and two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.

"It`s an incredible feeling," said Hamilton. "It feels like [his previous Silverstone pole] 2007. The crowd have been great - such a great turnout - that was a lap for them.

"I hope we can do something special in the race. It`s phenomenal because I haven`t been feeling 100 per cent comfortable in the car."

Rosberg said: "It`s definitely a great feeling to have the fastest car and the Mercedes team did a great job.

"We are confident we have improved and some of the other cars may be better than us but finishing top two can only be good for us."

Vettel could not resist referring to Mercedes` recent `secret` tyre test, suggesting it has given them some advantages.

But, he added: "We will see what happens tomorrow. It is a long race. I`m honestly very happy today. I don`t know if Lewis [Hamilton] found a short cut or he just found something special here - it was a phenomenal lap.

"It is always nice to position well in qualifying here. I am looking forward to the race tomorrow and we will see how we are with looking after tyres..."

Mercedes team chief Ross Brawn said: "We worked hard to get the right race set-up. It`s warmer again tomorrow, we`re not comfortable, so we`ll see..."

On a warm, dry and overcast afternoon, the Mercedes men set the pace from the start with Hamilton fastest, in Q1, and Massa delivering the drama with a late saving lap in his Ferrari to avoid early elimination.
The drivers removed from the fray were the usual suspects Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams, Mexican Esteban Gutierrez of Sauber, Frenchman Charles Pic and his Caterham team-mate Dutchman Giedo Van Der Garde, who sandwiched Frenchman Jules Bianchi of Marussia. Briton Max Chilton in the second Marussia was down in 22nd.

By mid-session, with Q2 underway, the air temperature was 19 degrees and the track temperature had climbed to 30, a big change from Friday morning`s cold and rainswept conditions.

This may have spelt difficulties ahead for some teams given the unknown factor of tyre wear, but nothing seemed to have changed as Rosberg and Hamilton soared to the top of the time-screens before Vettel, on new tyres, topped the lot with a best lap for Red Bull.

Within seconds of the flag falling, Webber threw his Red Bull up to second with others following suit to push Hamilton down to sixth, separated from Rosberg by Sutil and Ricciardo.

Out after Q2 went the 2009 champion Briton Jenson Button of McLaren in 11th ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso, Mexican Sergio Perez in the second McLaren, German Nico Hulkenberg of Sauber and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado in the leading Williams on the weekend of their celebrations for starting 600 Grands Prix, a landmark they reach in Germany next Sunday.

All this meant that Paul Di Resta joined Hamilton as one of the last two Britons in the fray, while Alonso, Grosjean and Raikkonen also squeezed through to claim their places in the top-ten shootout.

Rosberg soon set the pace until Hamilton, seemingly fuelled by people power, outpaced him by 1.5 seconds to go top as the big crowd readied themselves for a furious finale.