German GP | Chances lost and chances taken
A dramatic German GP has come to an end in Hockenheim. The rain that hit the track in spurts caused mayhem all over the field and brought to an unbelievable race classification. Some drivers took advantage from the situation to secure unpredictable results, other lost (even not for the first time) the chance of their life.
Chances Taken:
Sebastian Vettel: starting last, recovering to the silver medal on home soil. The German's performance has been amazing: patient when risk was just behind the corner, quick and determinated when it was time to push. Sebastian took both the chances of putting an end to the negative loop he was going through and at the same time to push back some of the rumors about Leclerc going to become Ferrari's lead driver.
Daniil Kvyat: the first podium his "second career", quoting his own words, furthermore behind the wheel of a Toro Rosso. The Russian secured the second best ever finish for the Faenza's team after Sebastian Vettel's win in Monza. The chance he took is to knock proudly on Helmut Marko's office door and prove the talent scout he made a huge mistake by treating the #26 as a 'spare wheel'.
Lance Stroll: missed the podium in the end, but still an outstanding race in a difficult moment performance-wise for the team. In standard contitions the young Canadian is often underperforming but as soon as the situation gets tricky he shines among the pack. After the Monza 2017 qualifying and after the treacherous Baku races, another brilliant performance where smoothness was required, to take the chance of shutting up the people that consider him a bad driver.
Carlos Sainz: the fight to be "best of the rest" is way more ferocious than the one for the championship. With teammate Norris and both the McLarens out of the race, the Spaniard gains 10 fundamental points and takes the chance to go for an extended lunge on the rivals.
Williams: not something down to them but nothing comes on its own. Alfa Romeos penalization for a clutch torque application has promoted Kubica in P10. That means the first championship point for them in 2019!
Still, something that has to be noted: after the German GP, Williams is the only team that has complited all the races so far with both the cars.
Chances Lost:
Nico Hulkenberg: oh boy, oh boy. It's not the first time that the #27 wastes a podium chance. In almost ten years of Formula One, Nico has never stepped on the rostrum despite many chances he killed with mistakes. This time it's been even worse because he would have had even celebrated the long awaited result in front of home-crowd.
Ferrari: in a season in which only Mercedes can take itself out of contention, once again the Scuderia is not there to take advantage of a Silver Arrow debacle. Half of the season is already in the books and the red painted team is still winless. Also because there's a young flawless Dutchman in the way between them and success...
Renault: The French team, alongside with their drivers, keep saying they expected to be further on the grid than where they are at the moment. Today the chance for a podium finish certainly were there but two DNFs instead is what Renault brings home from Hockenheim. A rostrum position would have definetly motivated the drivers, the whole team but also investors.
#GermanGP 🏁@HulkHulkenberg DNF@danielricciardo DNF #RSspirit pic.twitter.com/xIKDURuil5
— Renault F1 Team (@RenaultF1Team) July 28, 2019
